Fallen Leaves
by Linnya
Summary: Both knew they didn't have much time left, both still had goals to accomplish. So why shouldn't they just...work together for once? Yullen
1. 0 Prelude

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

A/N: This little story of mine is dedicated to my adorable moyashi 33  
I planned to upload it once I've finished it, but now that Kanda's past is about to be revealed in the actual manga, it would feel kinda lame to post my own version of it afterwards, now wouldn't it? xP

Prelude

"Hrngh"

"Ack!"

"Hrmph"

"Urgh~"

"Just…get the fuck off me, bean sprout!"

"But Kanda, you're blee–"

"Mind your own business!"

"We're in this together, so this IS my own b–"

Shoving the white haired exorcist roughly off his body, Kanda Yu snorted in fury and got to his feet. "You're already enough of a hindrance as it is," he grunted as he brushed some dirt off his hair, "don't you dare getting in my way even after I saved your sorry ass." Gritting his teeth as he noted just how much grime and blood he was covered in, he added even more angrily, "_Yet again_." He heard the boy's incredulous gasp behind him, but decided to ignore it and scanned their surroundings instead. There had to be an exit around here and, honestly, rather than arguing yet again, he just wanted out of that small tomb-like cavern they had landed in.

"If you hate me so much," a soft voice suddenly spoke behind him, "you needn't have bothered."

Glancing at what little of Allen's hurt expression he could see in the faint light coming from above, he couldn't help grimacing. "Right," he scoffed and set off toward a corridor that seemed to lead back to the surface, "I'll keep that in mind."

Hasty footfalls told him the other exorcist was joining him after all. "You do realize you're still helping me every single time, don't you?" the boy commented with a frown.

"I wouldn't have to if you just stopped being reckless," Kanda retorted gruffly, increasing their pace out of sheer annoyance.

"You're the one with the gash in his chest," Allen replied quietly.

"And I'm not complaining," Kanda grunted, anger growing ever so steadily, "you are. Just shut up and both of us are happy." For good measure, he glared at the boy and noticed him biting his lip at that, but, frankly spoken, he couldn't care less. As a matter of fact, he was incredibly thankful when they continued their way in silence.

Oh blissful silence.

No questions, no whimpering, no nagging, no whining.

A bit of pain, yes, but, thankfully, no accusations, no disputes, no inquiries, no chitchat.

No words at all.

Oh blissful silen–

"Honestly, Kanda, why?"

Gritting his teeth yet again, he wished he hadn't enjoyed the silence so much, as now his companion's voice annoyed him all the more – along with the pain in his chest that suddenly felt much more intense.

"And don't tell me 'we need all the exorcists we can get' or anything, cause I won't buy it," the boy ranted on, "you've got to have an actual reason to help me again and again, and I want to know it."

Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, Kanda could see determination in those grey orbs. It was the stupid, pointless and utterly naïve kind of determination he hated so much about the boy. And just as always, it managed to infuriate him even more. "Maybe I just can't stand watching a brain-dead getting beaten," he ground out and glared at nothing in particular, "it's unfair, you know."

He wasn't in the mood for quarrels and yet he had somehow provoked it again, and, of course, the expected response came in an instant. "You're calling _me_ brain-dead?" Allen growled in disbelief and shook his head. "Then what are you," he shot back, "Mr. Social-Incompetence?"

Stopping abruptly, Kanda grabbed the boy's shoulder, thrust him into the wall and pressed Mugen against his throat. "Right now I'm a lot more willing to cut that goddamn tongue out of your mouth than I'd like to admit, so shut the fuck up," he hissed and got dangerously close before he pushed away, stomping off as though nothing had happened.

Apparently it took Allen a while to recover, for when he finally caught up with the swordsman, they had almost reached the surface.

"Kanda," the boy shouted, face red with fury, "that was absolutely unca–"

"Now listen up, bean sprout," Kanda interrupted him, voice absolutely calm yet serious enough for the other to shut up, "I don't want you to die because one day I'd like to witness that even an annoying, brain-dead bean sprout like you can learn to _think_ before acting."

He didn't need to look at the boy to know his eyes were widening, didn't need to hear it to know he was gasping. Probably biting his lip by now.

What the answer would be, however, he couldn't tell for sure. And, for crying out loud, he didn't really want to know. Right now, he just wanted to get away from the damn sprout and have that annoying wound looked at.

But no matter how little he wanted to hear it, no matter how far away he'd walked already, no matter how quietly they'd been voiced, the boy's words still found their way to him.

"I promise, you will."

Prelude: End

What do you think so far? Tell me in a review and I'll post the next chapter asap ;D


	2. I Lonesome Apart

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

A/N: Gotta love those wondrous new statistics FF-dot-net provides - This story's already got 8 hits from Germany, but only 1 from Europe :D  
Lotsa thanks to Belladonna-Isabella, AmazinglyUntalented, simply anonymous and Midnight Crisis for those kind reviews x3  
And yeah, Midnight, I'm also dying to read the new chapters Dx And even though that recent dark atmosphere's awesome, I hope I won't feel as sorry for Kanda afterwards as I already do for the poor moyashi q_q  
Ahem, anyways, on to the story!

* * *

**.  
I. Lonesome apart**

"What do you mean, you're sending me to Central?" Allen exclaimed in pure shock.

Komui looked up at the boy, pity visible in his eyes. "The earl's starting to move again and we're still in dire need of new exorcists," he explained, face downcast, "furthermore, Central has finally decided you're trustworthy enough to be appointed as a General."

Falling back into his seat, Allen stared at his superior, dumbfounded. "You can't be serious."

"I am," Komui replied, his voice as remorseful as before, "Central wants to properly prepare you for your new duties."

A heavy silence fell between them until the boy finally spoke again. "But I want to stay here," he whispered.

"I tried everything in my might to make them change their mind," Komui replied, "but even I can't ignore a direct order from the top."

Allen didn't respond to that. Rather, he continued observing the carpet.

"Please, Allen, it'll only be six months," the supervisor tried to cheer him up, "plus, afterwards you'll even be able to command Kanda-kun around!"

Somehow, that comment made Allen's eyes light up a bit. "Really?" he asked, incredulous.

"Well, he won't like it, but technically, yes."

Again, the boy kept silent for a while.

"I don't have much of a choice either way, do I?" he asked, slumping his shoulder in defeat.

"I'm afraid not," Komui replied with a sorry smile. "You'll make it, Allen," he said, "We'll be here waiting for you."

* * *

With one final sigh, Allen snapped his suitcase shut and looked at the clock.

8 PM.

Ten hours left.

Even less, actually.

Ten hours to get a bit of sleep.

Ten hours to eat as much as humanly possible.

Ten hours to say goodbye to his friends and explain them just why he had chosen to get trained in Central. And as if that wasn't already going to be hard enough…

Ten hours to find that arrogant bastard and confront him about something that had been on his mind for quite a while.

_Knock, knock._

As he waited in front of that impersonal, grey door, he took a deep breath to calm himself. He knew what he wanted to say, he how he wanted to say it. Heck, he'd even shortened his whole, goddamn speech to a sentence of mere seven words.

Seven one-syllable words. Precise, concise and unmistakable so even someone as uninterested and cruel as Kanda couldn't ignore him.

…if he'd only give him a chance to say them.

Allen was just about to start his fifth knocking tirade when the door was yanked open by one definitely not amused swordsman.

"What do you want!" he yelled angrily, glaring daggers at the poor youth who dared knocking at his door.

And who was currently at a lack of words in spite of all his preparations.

Only after several moments of staring straight ahead was he able to meet the other exorcist's eyes with a worried expression. "Kanda, that tattoo of yours," he began, utterly bewildered, "has it always been so bi–"

If the death glare wasn't enough to shut him up, the older boy's words definitely were. ­"Fuck off," he grunted and slammed the door shut.

…or, well, as far as it would go with Allen's foot hindering it. "I'm sorry," the younger one whispered sincerely, "I didn't want to intrude. I just…wanted to tell you that I'm going to train in Central so you don't always have to come and save me."

Finally the door opened again, revealing a strangely impassive glare. "You're still as naïve as always," Kanda remarked and stepped past Allen out of his room, closing the door behind him. "…and I don't really see why you're telling me this," he added as he stomped off, "I don't really give a damn, you see."

Both disappointed and apprehensive, the white-haired boy frowned at his partner's retreating back and called after him, "I'm leaving, Kanda!"

"Like I care!" the other shot back and vanished around the corner.

Clenching his fists, Allen stood still. A silent sob escaped his lips when he muttered at last, "You could at least have listened to what I have to say, you goddamn bastard…"

* * *

Grabbing his suitcase, Kanda took one last glance at the hourglass sitting on a small table in the corner of his room.

Nothing had changed.

Sighing, he closed the door behind him.

Of course nothing had changed. He'd most likely have…noticed if it had.

"Going on another mission already?"

Never slowing down as the female exorcist caught up to him, he merely acknowledged her presence with a short answer. "Obviously."

"But you've only just returned…" she pointed out quietly.

"Someone has to do the work," he reminded her.

She kept silent for a few moments. "Where are you going this time?" she asked gently.

"Egypt," he replied simply, deliberately omitting the fact he would be making a tiny detour first, "some people seem to have seen…mummies in their front yard."

Lenalee laughed at that.

He arched an eyebrow.

"Sorry," she smiled apologetically, "that just sounds like, you know, a bad horror movie or something."

Walking on, he rolled his eyes.

"Either way, be careful, will you?" she said, finally calming down completely, "not only with the mummies, but also with the heat. It's said to be awful down there."

He grunted at that.

"…and come home safely," she added.

When he met her eyes, her smile grew even gentler.

He looked away and boarded the boat. "Right, right," he ground out at last – not because he meant it, but because he wanted her to believe so.

But she didn't need to know that.

* * *

"What do you mean, you don't know when he'll return?" Allen demanded in utter frustration, "I can finally pull ranks on him and he's not here to suffer under me!"

Awestruck at that unexpected explosion, Komui stared at the otherwise calm and composed boy in shock as Reever, equally dumbfounded, dropped his cigarette into his coffee. "Allen-kun, please calm down," the supervisor finally demanded. It seemed to do the trick – with one blink, the newly appointed general came to his senses. "I'm sorry, Komui-san," he spoke with a rueful smile and shook his head, "Given our current situation, I intend to start looking for new accommodators right away, but before that, I definitely need to have a word with Kanda."

Looking away, Komui seemed to be at a loss of words. "Allen-kun…"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you whether I could just have him accompany me for the, ergh, company's sake and –" he sputtered and suddenly halted, scratching the back of his head. "Okay, now that sounded weird, but, umm…" And there he began blabbing again, "if you need him to do some other missions, it's also alright, but then please tell me where –"

Finally, Komui took pity in the poor boy and silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Actually, Allen-kun," he began importantly, "it's the other way around."

The young general frowned at that, unable to produce anything more intelligent than a mere "…huh?"

"I've been thinking about sending you on a mission once you got back," the supervisor explained, "but I wasn't entirely sure whether that would be a good idea."

Allen's face grew more and more questioning with every word spoken. "But Komui-san, you don't understand," he protested in a calm yet resolved manner, "I'll take care of whatever missions you have for me, but before that –"

"– you need to have a word with Kanda, alright, alright," Komui finished for him, holding his hands up in a pacifying manner, "The problem is, he's currently away for personal reasons rather than an actual mission."

Allen's jaw dropped at that. "…personal," he repeated in utter disbelief.

Sure, everyone had to have their own private life and personal matters somewhere, but with Kanda, who always prioritized his missions above everything else, the thought of him going on vacation simply sounded…off.

"He asked me not to tell anyone about this arrangement, let alone send someone over, and I hate to betray his trust," Komui explained and looked down at that last notion before meeting the boy's eyes again, "but I think he'll be thankful for your help, even if he won't show it." Both grimaced at that before the supervisor went on, "So if you were to accidentally start looking for new accommodators near Calcutta, I'd…appreciate it."

**I. Lonesome apart: End  
.**

**

* * *

  
**

Poor Allen, Kanda's being bitchy again D:  
But that's why we all love him, isn't it? xP

And as we're already at it, there's another thing we all love... It's called reviewing! Remember: the more reviews I get, the more am I inclined to procrastinate studies for the sake of fanfiction! 8D


	3. II Lonesome Together

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

A/N: Thanks a lot to all those awesome reviewers: ditte-chan, Stelra Etnae, Ican'tDENYyou, ExorcistYuuKanda, Midnight Crisis, Belladonna-Isabella, Aion Laven Walker, Star Blind, simply anonymous and kaydoole. It's great to come home after a long exhausting day and find such encouraging messages in my inbox. :D

To Midnight Crisis: OMG, the current chapter O_o Afterwards, I sat there and stared at the screen for quite a while. Kanchaaaan D: He's so angry nowadays, it really makes me sad. But a huge, big YAY at the Yullen factor of the recent chapters xD I just hope the new hiatus won't last quite as long as the last one D:

To ExorcistYuuKanda: I'm honored to be in your favour :D And I can only agree with you: threatening the Moyashi is the best xD

To oldwinesayuri: What are you trying to tell me? I don't understand your strange bean sprout language D:

**Also**, please keep in mind that, although I only got around to publishing it now, the plot of this story has been set for quite a while now. This also means that in regards of the more recent facts, it's not consistent with the canon anymore. So please don't be confused about how Kanda's history is different from what we got to know in the latest chapters of -man. :)

* * *

**Holi**, also called the **Festival of Colors**, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Nepal,Bangladesh, and countries with large Hindu diaspora. […] The main day, Holi, also known as _Dhulheti_, _Dhulandi_ or _Dhulendi_, is celebrated by people throwing colored powder and colored water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holika) _Chhoti Holi_ (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad had when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire.  
(Thx to Wikipedia)

By the way, please keep in mind that **Kanda's thoughts aren't meant to step on anyone's toes**, the grumpiness and general annoyance is just how he is. I personally like India quite a lot :)

* * *

**II. Lonesome together**

Cursing under his breath, Kanda shoved yet another Indian out of his way.

He'd only been here for three weeks and he already hated that whole country with a passion.

Not only were all its rites and customs one great paradox – its people were even worse. Most of the time, they lazed off wherever possible, and were only eagerly working whenever said work was somehow related to some sort of festivities.

And, oh, of those they had enough.

Just upon his arrival, Rohan, the translator he'd hired, had somehow managed dragging him to his nephew's step brother's uncle's wedding. A week later, the owner of the inn he was staying at had just so decided to invite everyone within a two mile radius to the 20th birthday of his still unmarried daughter Shanti.

Mind the words _still unmarried_.

After just about a billion of decent and not-so-decent implications from her father's side, the girl had eventually asked him to celebrate "Holi" with her, adding a quick apology about said father's behaviour.

He didn't know just what that particular holiday was about, yet after those last weeks just the word "celebrate" managed to send a shiver down his spine. He'd already had his fair share of celebrating for, well, a lifetime now, thank you.

Thus he'd simply sent her off with his translator, well aware of the fact that the latter had planned to "force him to his luck" anyway.

Honestly, he was glad he'd wound his way out of this one, he pondered as he continued his way through the busy streets of Calcutta and yet again ended up within a cloud of colourful dust.

He groaned.

In retrospective, he wished they'd at least warned him just what that goddamn Holi was about.

Wiping a handful of neon blue powder off his expensive (!) uniform in the vain attempt to retrieve, or rather, _dispose of_ some of its colour, he cursed yet again.

"Oh god, I never thought I could hate _colours_ more than _people_."

…even though later on, he would revise that statement.

* * *

Walking through the busy streets of Calcutta in some sort of nostalgia, Allen couldn't help smiling to himself.

Back when he'd visited India for the first time, he'd been a small, helpless child, the apprentice of a cruel master who simply couldn't take care of himself.

Now he was a general himself – a fact that boosted his self-confidence to new realms…even though he tried never showing that too much.

Granted, when he'd first entered the town, he'd felt rather out of place, walking amongst a crowd of mostly poor Indians with his pale skin, his white hair and, most of all, that expensive, gold and black uniform of his.

By now, that initial unease had turned into something else. Thanks to people throwing colourful dust just about everywhere, he had long ceased sticking out in the crowd and was covered in just about every shade the rainbow had to offer.

…and he was seriously wondering whether he'd ever get all those particles off his expensive (!) uniform.

Shaking his head, he abandoned these useless thoughts and resumed scanning the crowd. After all, he'd come here with more important matter in mind.

Finding Yu, for example.

As if on cue, he felt cold metal connecting with his throat. He stiffened automatically, but inwardly sighed with relief. So he wouldn't have to search forever after all!

A wide grin was already spreading on his face when he finally noted something utterly disturbing. It wasn't the blade's edge that was resting against his throat, but its back.

Definitely not something Yu would do.

He gulped, but didn't have the time to process the new information when a deep voice hissed directly into his ear, "You better have a damn good excuse for stalking me, or else…"

Finally, Allen noted the other's fist hovering directly above his head.

"…I'll turn that annoying geezer's hair of yours pink, bean sprout."

Allen's eyes widened.

"…irreversibly."

He fought the strong urge to simply laugh out loud and leant back instead, hearing a gasp from behind him as he connected with his unsuspecting captor's chest. "Do that and I'll glue a braid into yours, bastard," he retorted.

Just as expected, a handful of pink powder rained down onto his head after that, but then again, he didn't mind, and finally burst out laughing when Kanda pushed him away, removing the blade from his throat at last.

Their surroundings were so noisy he almost didn't catch the disgruntled "che" from behind him that announced the other exorcist's tactical retreat. Thankfully, though, he did.

"Kanda, wait!" he exclaimed and hurried after the swordsman, grabbing a handful of powder from a booth along the way. When he noted his friend wouldn't even slow down, he inhaled deeply and shouted with all his might, "That is an order!"

Just as expected, Kanda's back stiffened at that. Standing completely still for a short moment, he finally whirled around to glare daggers at the younger boy. "Who are you to order me ar–" He stopped dead on when suddenly, his eyes registered nothing but emerald green.

Mugen was faster drawn than the vein popped up on the swordsman's forehead.

"Prepare to die."

* * *

While just about every passer-by looked positively shaken by the two outlandish men's open display of violence, nobody dared interfering.

They only stopped fighting when suddenly Allen's left eye activated.

Both gasped.

"Akuma? Here?" Kanda grunted in disbelief and withdrew Mugen from the claw it had collided with only seconds before.

Allen didn't have the time to respond – just as he opened his mouth, the deafening bang of a huge explosion rang through the streets.

And after that, all hell broke loose.

The bean sprout following closely behind him, Kanda cursed his luck as he leapt onto a nearby rooftop to proceed without the crowd hindering him. But, well, at least the current of panicked people had one pro – he could always tell which direction everyone was fleeing from.

After several minutes of running he finally reached the remains of a once crowded market place. At first, Kanda could only make out a sea of flames, but then, the stench of burnt flesh hit his nostrils. He wrinkled his nose before looking up at the sky, noting several Level Twos soaring towards the far end of the inferno.

_Whatever they're after_… As he leapt into the air yet again, a manic grin spread on the swordsman's features …_it's not us._

Left behind, Allen called once again, "Kanda, wait!", and cursed his stubborn colleague before following at last.

He definitely had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

In the unusually devastated streets of Calcutta, a boy and a girl were running for their dear lives.

"We know you have it~" one of the…monsters behind them chirped happily, soaring after them with apparent ease.

"Surrender, you're not getting away anyway," another one added.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she cried, shaking her head fiercely.

The boy who was leading the way suddenly pulled her to the right. "Shanti, this way," he told her breathlessly, "these huge things won't be able to follow us in here."

Nodding in agreement, she ran after him into the narrow alleyway.

When seconds later, even more destruction followed their wake, they realized their horrible mistake – rather than simply pursuing them, the monsters were now bombing their way after them, destroying many inhabited buildings in the process.

Shanti shrieked in horror, but Rohan urged her on. "We're going to get out of this," he promised her and once again took the lead.

But those monsters were everywhere, and finally, there was nowhere to run anymore.

They were surrounded.

One of the monsters that looked like an ugly, black knight approached them with an ugly grin on its features. "Finally admitting your defeat?" it asked playfully.

"Why are you following us anyway?" Rohan shouted, standing protectively in front of Shanti.

The monster only laughed at that. "You've got Innocence with you, of course," it explained, strolling towards them at a lazy yet threatening pace.

Neither human understood the implication. "…what Innocence?" Rohan exclaimed angrily.

Again, the monster laughed, coming to a halt in front of them. "Why would I bother explaining things to you?" it asked and raised its fist, "If you're going to die now anyway?"

Shanti cried and Rahul trembled when the inevitable happened.

…or would have happened.

They only registered a blue and green flash of light before the thing in front of them fell apart, sliced cleanly in the middle.

Behind it, a slightly familiar figure became distinguishable. Covered in bright green mixed with blood red and surrounded by a strong blue light, their saviour took another, seemingly useless swing with his sword. "Kaichu: Ichigen!" In the blade's glowing trail, several silver insects appeared and flew towards the monsters surrounding them, destroying them while their creator approached his latest charges. "Stay close behind me if you want to survive," he told them blankly, never meeting their eyes as he scanned the area for any new arrivals.

But then, a surprised gasp and a disbelieving "Boss!?" told him he actually knew the people he'd just saved.

He groaned.

_How bothersome._

* * *

After several minutes of annoying questions and relaxing akuma-slaying, Kanda finally noted a pink head approaching.

Normally, he would have let the bean sprout himself take care of the Level One and Twos that were somewhat stealthily following him. But since he felt the strong urge to get away from those two Indians and kill something in the cruellest way he could think of, he lazily sent a few of Hell's Insects in the sprout's general direction.

Strangely enough, the boy seemed neither surprised nor afraid, not even for the tiniest of moments. Rather, he uttered a soft thanks a soon as he reached them.

Kanda only glared at the boy and shoved the two still overwhelmed Indians towards him. "Protect them," he grunted and was about to set off when Allen grabbed his wrist. He sent him a death glare at that, but the younger exorcist wasn't affected in the slightest. "We're staying together," he stated firmly, "if the akuma are after these two, they're going to come after us either way."

Kanda's glare darkened tenfold. Still, Allen held his gaze evenly. At the end, the swordsman grunted a "che" and yanked his arm free, but didn't move any farther away than that.

Sighing, the young general finally turned to the two Indians at his side. "What are your names?" he asked gently, ever-present smile back in place.

* * *

Half an hour later, no more akuma were coming their way.

Flicking the blood off Mugen's blade, Kanda looked around. "Any left?" he asked the other exorcist.

Allen frowned as unlike his innocence, his eye wouldn't deactivate. "One's still around," he said and looked around as well. Finally, he pointed at a small pathway to their right. "There."

"Got it," Kanda said and set off.

Looking after him, Allen bit his lip.

* * *

The path the bean sprout had shown him led straight to a rather spacey backyard that didn't seem to hold any dangers. Only after some scouting did Kanda notice an elderly man sitting on a windowsill, peacefully smoking his pipe with all the calm in the world.

He recognized that person at once – his breath hitched for a second.

He'd guessed, but he hadn't expected it, and yet…

Stepping closer, Kanda smirked. "So you're here after all."

Lazily turning his head around, the person acknowledged his presence at last, an impossibly wide grin spreading on his Japanese features. "Kanda Yu," he drawled and lightly jumped off the windowsill, "I've been meaning to meet you for quite a while now…" He trailed off and looked questioningly, but not surprised, at the blade that suddenly threatened to pierce his skull.

"Likewise," Kanda spat in pure hatred, "I've been itching to wipe out your pitiful existence for way too many years."

The other man could only smile at that. "Na, na, na, that would be a bit unwise," he advised, never inching away from the sword still aimed at his forehead, "You've only got one petal left and my death would do nothing to change that."

"I don't give a damn," Kanda ground out and charged at the man…who suddenly wasn't there anymore.

Cursing, he scanned the area for any signs.

The next thing he noted was a painful twist in his right hand. Whirling around to glare at the offender, he pulled back his wrist, but not quite enough to free it from the other's grip. "That's really a pity, you know," the man mused, tightening his grip on the wrist that finally snapped with a deafening crack, "we both know what awaits you once the last petal withers…" He leant forward and dropped his voice to a mere whisper, "…but gracious as I am, I am willing to offer you an alternative to all the pain and suffering." Humming softly, he examined the sword the young man still managed to hold tightly with an appreciative look. "That Mugen of yours is…quite a beatific weapon," he mused aloud and smiled, "I'd be willing to trade your soul in for it."

"Fuck off," Kanda replied darkly and kicked out, transferring Mugen to his left hand before aiming a blow at the man…who had, yet again, vanished into thin air.  
"I'll be back, Yu-pon," the man's voice chirped, "consider my offer."

Cursing wildly, he sheathed his sword with some difficulty and returned to the others.

* * *

Normally, he'd need ten minutes to shower.

Getting incredible amounts of dirt and blood off his skin and, more annoyingly, out of his hair, usually took half an hour or so.

But doing all of this in a shower that wasn't really a shower and with a right hand that simply wouldn't cooperate seemed all but…impossible.

Thus he eventually surrendered and stepped out of the small showering booth in the inn's garden with both his hand and his vanity aching.

Just…never mind that goddamn green was still sticking to his hair.

And just when he'd thought he couldn't possibly grow any more annoyed, the most annoying voice of them all called, "Kanda!"

Naturally, said annoying voice was soon accompanied with an even more annoying person.

"Are you done?" the still pink-headed bean sprout asked as he casually strolled closer and quickly examined the appearance of the older boy currently busy dressing himself. "Hmhm, that colour really is a tough one, isn't it?" Allen wondered aloud and reached out for a particularly green strand of formerly black hair.

He never quite got a hold of it though, as Kanda chose that moment to stand up and glare down at the younger (and still shorter %D) male. "Just what the hell do you want, stupid sprout?" he grunted in anger.

Frowning back, Allen produced a rather suspicious bottle and explained, "Shanti mentioned some colours are rather persistent, so she gave me…this." He waved it as if something would happen and went on, "She said it's called shampoo. You rub it into your hair and wash it out again." He scratched the back of his head at that. "So basically, it seems like soap, but it'll remove dirt better and make your hair much…silkier," he summarized and shrugged, "or so she said."

Kanda frowned down at the younger boy and finally resumed dressing. "And just why should I care?" he asked.

This time, Allen did get a hold of the green strand and waved it right in front of his colleague's face. "Because it's _your_ hair that's still green?" he offered and smirked when the strand was yanked out of his grip almost immediately. "Besides, a pretty girl like you should always keep her hair in top sha–"

He only barely dodged the hand that shot up to meet his stomach. Staying at a safe distance this time, he frowned at the other man. "Just a left hook?" he inquired mockingly, "What happened to the right one?"

Kanda didn't even dignify the younger one with a glare anymore as he gathered his belongings. "The right one's about to punch your annoying face all the way back to England if you don't watch your goddamn tongue," he hissed icily and returned to the house, leaving a bewildered Allen behind.

* * *

"I still haven't told you why I'm here," Allen remarked quietly, turning to his side so he could watch the silhouette of his friend. Lying with his back facing his comrade, Kanda wasn't moving much, but judging from his breathing, he wasn't quite asleep just yet.

Sighing softly, Allen took the lack of an answer as sign for him to continue. "I finished my training and am a General now," he mused and halted for a moment, unsure how to go on. "Back on our last mission together, you said you wanted to see how I would act responsibly one day," he remembered, a strange fondness in his voice, "and I want to show it to you." He puffed his breath out and looked back at the ceiling. "I want you to know that you don't need to protect me anymore." As he went on struggling with his words, he heard an unexpected huff from the other end of the room.

"That's some stupid reason to come all the way to India," Kanda commented wryly, never moving in inch, "especially since I only said that to shut you up back then."

The ruffling of sheets told him that his comment had disturbed the bean sprout enough to make him sit up again. "Kanda…"

"…and now that you've told me what you wanted to tell me, you're free to get lost again," the older male added impassively.

Resting both his elbows on his knees in a rather defeated manner, Allen chuckled humourlessly, "I'm far from having told you everything I want to tell you." His head drooped. "I'm just not sure how to phrase it to make you understand."

"Then don't say it at all," Kanda suggested helpfully.

A long, heavy silence settled between them.

Only several minutes later, Allen tried again. "I got stronger because I hate seeing you get hurt for my sake," he whispered, "but not because I want to stop…depending on you." He gulped and quickly went on. "I simply want to fight alongside you without being a burden," he finished, a silent tear running down his cheek without getting noticed by either exorcist, "I want that very much."  
For a while, nobody moved. "I'm not going to travel with you," Kanda stated clearly, his voice even less emotional than usual, "I'm not going to help you at all."

A sad smile graced the younger one's features at that. "But you already did," he pointed out, "considering Shanti gave me the Innocence just two hours ago."

"That never was my business and still isn't," Kanda grunted, "you were just lucky, idiot."

"Still I want to thank you," Allen said softly and leant back, "by accompanying you on your journey." He knew Kanda was about to protest, but he simply spoke on, "I lived in this country for quite some time, that'll come in handy no matter just what you need to take care of here." He pondered for a second and added hastily, "And I promise not to get in the way or get you hurt, and if you tell me to shut up I will." He paused ever so briefly and sighed softly, "I just…want to stay with you."

Having finally voiced _it_ after almost a year, Allen instantly felt lighter, even in spite of the rejection that was sure to follow.

"No way in hell."

Once again, the white-haired boy found himself staring at the other one's back. "Kanda, pleas–" he urged, but was cut off like so often.

"Now shut up already."

No matter whether it was actually meant as a kind of agreement, Allen couldn't help smiling. Maybe there was hope after all.

* * *

When Allen awoke the next morning, Kanda was nowhere in sight.

Thankfully, though, he encountered him in the inn's living room, writing on a piece of paper.

…or rather…

Allen's eyes widened at the sight.

…he was _drawing_ something.

As if on instinct, he approached the other exorcist to see the picture…

"Fuck off or do something useful," Kanda grumbled without even looking up.

Caught red-handed, Allen glowered at the other man, "Good morning to you, too, Kanda."

An uncaring "Che" was the only answer he got, and he was about to leave it at that when he once again noted something strange. "…you're not left-handed," he observed, his frown deepening more and more as he kept watching his friend's superior and yet slightly…clumsy strokes.

"So what?" Kanda snapped.

His face reflecting both worry and hurt, Allen opened his mouth when suddenly, the door burst open. "Good morning, boss, Mister Allen!" the boy from yesterday – Allen remembered his name being Rohan – greeted them happily as he flung himself onto the couch right next to the otherwise menacing swordsman and pulled Allen along with him, "What are we doing today?"

"Hunting down the akuma that got away yesterday," Kanda replied matter-of-factly, still not looking up.

Allen stared at the shockingly accurate drawing of a Japanese man in his early forties while Rohan frowned at their companion first. "…the one who broke your wrist?" he asked and finally looked at the picture, "…that him?" His eyes widened at the sight. "Damn, boss," he exclaimed in awe, "is there anything you can't do?"

Normally, Allen would have had a thousand answers to that. "Social interaction," being the one he'd voiced at first. But as it was, his eyes were still glued to the drawing. After all his travelling, he'd met enough Asian people to properly tell them apart.

…and the man on the drawing resembled Kanda just a bit too much for it to be a mere coincidence.

"…Bean sprout."

Blinking, he looked up to meet the other exorcist's glare-frown. He must have noticed his lack of a smart remark as well. Thinking quickly, Allen shot the Japanese a nasty smirk. "Oh, your wrist's broken?" he enquired at a slightly higher voice than usual, "You know, I had planned to depart later this afternoon, having acclaimed the Innocence and all." He sighed sympathetically. "But I guess I can't leave a wounded comrade behind, now can I?"

The glare he got in return was simply…priceless.

* * *

Sitting on the bench next to the shower, Allen looked up at the dark, blue sky and sighed.

A week had passed by with no progress at all.

A few people they'd asked had actually recognized the man on the picture, but none of them had provided any useful information. A few leads had seemed solid, certainly, but eventually, they had always met a dead end.

Gazing over at the faintly lit house, he frowned unhappily. A while ago, the local doctor had arrived to check up on Kanda's wrist, but in spite of the swordsman's once incredible healing rate, its condition had barely improved. Apparently he could use it to a certain extent, probably only because of his awful stubbornness, but it still looked mostly dead and most likely felt even worse.

Apropos feeling worse…

He'd been meaning to approach Kanda about his connection to the akuma they were looking for, but every time he dared trying it, the stoic man ignored him completely. He hated not knowing such a crucial thing. Yet…how could he ever find out, if Kanda hadn't even bothered telling him his goddamn _wrist_ had been _broken_?

Huffing, Allen kicked the ground in frustration.

No wonder Kanda's hair was still green in some places!

"You're…Allen Walker, aren't you?"

Not having expected someone to be here, the boy almost got a heart attack.

Then, when he looked up at the new arrival, his heart _did_ skip a beat. Standing in front of him, dressed in black and white traditional Japanese garb, was the man they had been looking for.

"Kanda Hikaru, pleased to meet you," he introduced himself and bowed elegantly before taking a seat next to the shocked exorcists. "You are a good friend of my dear son, aren't you?" he chatted conversationally, a hint of worry in his voice, "then you, too, must be devastated about what's to come."

His left eye had long activated, but Allen didn't dare looking anywhere else but down to the ground. Kanda's father, an akuma…?

"The lotus won't last much longer," the Japanese mused sadly, "soon the last petal will be gone as well." Glancing sideward, he grinned at the boy's pained expression.

Eyes clenched shut, Allen felt like screaming. Actually, he'd seen it coming. Why else would Kanda choose such an odd timing for his personal quests? Why else would he need such a journey in the first place?

Biting back a sob, he asked, "He's…dying?"

The man sitting next to him sadly shook his head at that. "Not exactly," he explained, "rather, the Earl will finally get the soul that's righteously his."

In that moment…

Eyes widening, Allen stared at the man.

…it felt as if…

His lips moved, but no sound escaped them.

…his body had gone numb from shock.

"Never…" the exorcist finally rasped, his voice shaking as he got up and grabbed his friend's alleged father by the collar, glaring him down with all his determination, "I'll never let him have it!"

Chuckling slightly, Kanda Hikaru didn't make a move to free himself. "I thought you would say that," he whispered as his grin grew further and further, "and I just so happen to know a way you can save him."

Allen frowned as the Japanese's hands suddenly rested on his left one. "You can't be serious," he whispered in disbelief.

"Give me your Innocence and I give you my son," the man offered with a grin, "It's not really a difficult decision, now is it?"

As he stared into those black eyes for what felt an eternity, Allen's breath felt heavier and heavier with every passing second.

Finally, he opened his mouth…

…but never got the chance to speak when he was yanked away with one strong pull.

"You went too far."

Stumbling backwards, he stared at the blank face of Yu Kanda as he activated his innocence…and beheaded his own father in one swift, clean motion.

A second later, a dull thump echoed through the air.

Meanwhile, a lifeless body sacked off the bench, a single, crimson fountain splattering in every direction.

Looking up, Allen could see the smile of a beautiful, Japanese woman as her soul was freed at last.

In spite of everything that had happened, he couldn't help returning her smile – she looked just like Yu.

Soon, the cool night breeze blew away what was left of the akuma.

Both exorcists didn't move an inch.

Finally, Allen averted his gaze from the sky and looked at Kanda's back instead. Still shimmering lightly, Mugen hung in his left hand while his right one somehow managed holding onto its scabbard.

After a while, and in a rather clumsy motion, he sheathed it at last.

"My father was a broker," Kanda said quietly, "When my mother found out, she killed herself. He blamed me and hated me more and more ever since. I was six when he finally wrote my name on the list – He only noticed afterwards that my sister wouldn't stand for it. Unfortunately for him, she was there when the Earl came to get me." He paused briefly and looked up at the sky. "She traded her life for a lotus flower that would keep the akuma sealed within the tattoo on my chest." He paused before chuckling darkly. "Needless to say, the Earl wasn't happy with my father after that, but he still offered him to bring my mother back."

For a long, excruciating moment, neither moved nor spoke a word.

Finally Kanda set off to return to the house – finally Allen recovered his voice. "Kanda," he called, making the swordsman halt for a second as he approached him and grabbed him by the wrist, "you're covered in blood." With that, he dragged his friend toward the booth in the far corner, only to be held back by a rather unwilling captive and a low growl, "Moyashi…"

Said bean sprout, however, didn't really mind. "Besides, your hair is still green," he remarked, "with your care and that dead hand of yours, you're never gonna get it clean."

Coming to a halt next to the shorter boy and instantly yanking his hand free, Kanda glowered at him. "That's none of your business," he grumbled and turned.

Smiling bitterly at the utter dullness in his Kanda's words, Allen reached out for those raven locks and quickly pushed his friend's head under the steady stream of water. Ignoring the string of curses that ensued, he pulled the other one closer and whispered into his ear, "Just let me help you…" he grimaced and lowered his head, "…for once."

Kanda didn't stop cursing him, but didn't resist anymore either.

* * *

He awoke to the horrible sound of someone…getting throttled.

It was painful, it was everwhere, it…didn't end.

Jerking out of his bed, Allen looked around.

_Argh…gr….ng…..k……n_

He was still in Calcutta, still in the inn, still in the room he shared with…

…h….grrk…gn……h……n….….

His eye widened.

………a…rck….g…ng…

"Kanda?"

He was nowhere in sight.

Worse yet…the choking that filled his ears…The voice belonged to Kanda…

Biting his lip, he jumped out of the window to get closer to the sound.

He landed right in front of a white existence…long white hair, enormous white wings…angelic in every aspect except for…pupilless white eyes and those angelic features distorted with pain.

His heart stopped.

Screams.

Gurgles.

Kanda…

* * *

A scream echoed in his ears.

It was his own.

Opening his eyes, Allen once again found himself in the inn, breathing harder than ever before. Jerking up at once, he frantically looked around.

He was still in Calcutta, still in the inn, still in the room he shared with…

He stared at the still form lying in the other bed, his breath slowing down again while he almost cried in relief.

Kanda was still there.

Stumbling over to the other bed, Allen bit back a sob.

Kanda was still there.

Still his damn annoying, damn proud and damn pretty self.

He didn't care about any consequences, didn't care that that Kanda would hate it as he clumsily staggered onto the bed and slipped under the sheets, holding tightly to the firm torso that was his friend's. He only needed to make sure he'd still be there in the morning.

Still his damn annoying, damn proud and damn pretty self.

"Fuck off, moyashi."

Still the arrogant bastard he knew.

He bit his lip and snuggled closer.

Still the arrogant bastard he knew, not…a fallen one.

"Not a fallen one, just a stupid akuma. You'll get rid of me without much of a fuss."

Allen bit his lips, his nails digging into the older one's skin in silent protest. "That's not helping, you bastard," he whimpered quietly.

"It is," Kanda grunted in annoyance and moved away, Allen following instantly, much to his annoyance. "Now stop angsting," he hissed angrily, pulling the sheets back over his body. He didn't uncover the shivering boy behind him, though.

* * *

"So…you destroyed the one you've been hunting?" Rohan concluded, furrowing his brows in thought, "…does that mean you're leaving?" He didn't seem too happy with that notion. "Where to?"

Kanda tilted his head without seeming willing to reply.

Allen smirked at that. Probably the older exorcist didn't want him to find out where he was headed.

"Hmhm, I heard there are mummies in Egypt."

Too bad he already knew.

…and somehow, the uncontrollable twitching of Kanda's right eye satisfied him greatly.

* * *

Groaning darkly, Kanda sat up as abruptly as possible – for that would be the cruellest way to disrupt the dreams of that annoying furuncle that seemed to grown on his back every night anew.

Allen opened his eyes ever so drowsily, gazing up at his friend with the most innocent expression. "Whazzup?" he murmured, head already sinking onto the mattress again.

As his death glare didn't work on people not watching, Kanda simply kicked the mass amidst his sheets. "Get into your own bed next time, you dumb sprout," he hissed and stomped out of the room.

Honestly, it was bad enough that damn moyashi insisted on following him everywhere – and just when he'd thought the boy couldn't possibly grow any more annoying, he started angsting all over him.

Just because the goddamn remains of his "father" had decided to blabber something out Kanda had always kept secret from anyone for it would freak them out if they knew.

And out of all the people who cared far too much for their own good, it just had be the worst.

_Taptaptap_

Gritting his teeth, he glared in the mirror as he tried his best to resist the sudden urge to turn and punch that goddamn worry out of the boy's face.

"Good morning," the boy chirped, false smile instantly back in place as he strode into the bathroom, "how's the hand?"

Glaring harder, Kanda lied, "It's fine."

Allen only rolled his eyes at that and suddenly grasped the swordsman's arm, inspecting his wounded wrist as he carefully undid the bandages wrapped around it. "Hmh, the colour seems to be returning at last," he observed expertly and looked up, "Can you move it?"

When Kanda didn't reply, just as usual, he simply dragged him back into their room's main area, "C'mon, let's put on some fresh bandages."

As soon as both had sat down on the couch, Kanda snatched the new bandage out of Allen's hands and did it himself.

The younger exorcist only sighed at that. "You know," he leant back and finally revised the information they had gotten yesterday, "once we're done with these mummies…would you like to accompany me on my travels afterwards?" His gaze, once wandering across the room, yet again rested on his grumpy companion's back. When there was no immediate reaction to his words, he added softly, "…you don't intend to return to Headquarters anyway, do you?"

Still, the other exorcist kept silent, finishing the bandage with practised ease. At last, he got up, voicing no more than a "che" before he left the room.

Allen smiled.

He'd won that one.

**II. Lonesome together - End**

**

* * *

**

**A/N: **Sadly enough, there's quite a lot I'm not happy about with this chapter. The length, for example. Or severe lack of knowledge in my all but nonexistent hindi vocabulary. Or quite a lot of --- urgh, I better stop ranting, or else you'll be as dissatisfied as I am D:  
I hope you don't mind too much, cause if I wouldn't have uploaded it right now, it would have kept lying on ff(dot)net's server for, like, an eternity.

So, ergh, well...

Allen: IT'S DRAMA-ANGSTING-TIME :D  
Kanda: And it's not going to get better, I can assure you that much D:  
Allen: True enough... but...at least I can cuddle with you now :D  
Kanda: ...stfu.

So now...tell me what you think? :3


	4. III Twosome Together

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

A/N: Now, first of all: THANKS FOR ALL THOSE WONDERFUL REVIEWS, guys! x3 Lots of tastey cookies to Ghost of the Darkness, Caithdean, Erendyce, xRandomosityx and even more of them to Belladonna-Isabella, Midnight Crisis, kaydoodle and simply anonymous for reviewing so regularly!  
And even though I don't get around to answering quite as often as I should (studies are positively _killing_ me atm Dx) I'm really grateful for all those kind words!

To Midnight Crisis: Thanks again for those wonderful words, they're really encouraging ;_; But I can't tell you just yet what I've got in store for Kan-chan and Moyashi-pon, because, no matter what I say, it'll probably spoil the end, and I'm pretty sure you don't want that to happen xI But once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH ;_;

To oldwinesayuri: You've got quite a lot of smutty fantasies there. Not that I mind 8D

A/N to this chapter: There's gonna be _**POST-ARK-REVELATIONS-SPOILERS**_ in here, so to anyone who hasn't read/watched that far, I'd advise you to do so first, it's worth it :3

* * *

**III. Twosome together**

Opening his eyes, Allen blinked in shock.

It wasn't anything unusual that he would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, or that the nightmares that usually caused it would leave him traumatized for a few moments – it was the fact that, for the first time since travelling with his friend, he was neither facing a back nor the blank wall.

Sometime within the last few hours, for some wondrous reason, Kanda had turned in his sleep, leaving Allen to wake up to a most captivating sight.

He'd never consciously been so close to the swordsman's face. He'd never consciously seen it like that and maybe, this was the only chance he'd ever get.

Etching every detail into his memory, Allen smiled at his friend's expression. Even though he looked much more relaxed than in his wakeful hours, he still seemed to be frowning ever so slightly. Probably he'd used that scowl of his so much he wouldn't easily get it off his face even if he tried.

Observing that phenomenon a bit longer, Allen idly wondered what the older man would look like if the corners of his mouth weren't always pointing downwards.

…and well, having been clouded with mere dreams only moments ago, his mind was still delusional enough to let him try.

Yet once his fingertips actually met soft skin, his mission was forgotten in an instant. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but certainly not…this.

They were softer than they looked, Allen mused as he slowly slid his thumb along Kanda's lower lip, but they weren't quite as soft as his own, how peculiar…

"…do you have a death wish?"

Startled, he noted his hand being pulled away, but kept staring at a pair of lips that had moved ever so briefly before turning, yet again, into a deep scowl. Only when his eyes finally wandered upward did he notice an equally irritated pair of eyes watching him.

In spite of the threat, though, Allen couldn't help smiling. Even that glare was something he'd never seen so close before.

Kanda's right eye twitched in anger, as if prompting the younger man to retreat.

Instead, Allen chose to answer. "…maybe I do," he grinned and inched forward, placing the tiniest of kisses on the swordsman's lips before resting his head on the pillow again.

There had been silence before, but somehow now, it was so much more prominent.

Even though he was aware that getting up and running away might be the healthiest course of action right now, Allen couldn't resist the urge to watch his friend's reaction.

Again, he didn't know just what he'd been thinking – he liked blaming the sleepiness for that – but watching so many expressions flickering over that normally so impassive face was definitely worth it.

Shock, fury, disbelief, annoyance, indifference and finally…the strangest kind of anger Allen had ever seen.

"Damn you, bean sprout," Kanda hissed in fury and slammed the captured hand onto the mattress, effectively turning the boy onto his back before straddling his hips, "if you already fuck around with me, at least do it right."

And without further ado, he leant forward and crushed his lips onto Allen's.

Underneath him, the boy jerked in surprise, gasping involuntarily. Kanda didn't hesitate to use that chance and forced an entrance, pushing his tongue into that sugary mouth, exploring, demanding.

Below him, Allen gave a strangled moan, yet he wouldn't listen, pressing the boy's wrist further into the mattress as he lead his own free hand behind one slender neck.

It was only when Allen hesitantly started kissing back that Kanda pushed away forcefully. "Che," he snorted and got off the boy, stomping out of the room in anger.

Allen, on the other hand, didn't move at all. Rather, he simply lay there for the longest moment and kept staring up at the ceiling, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Finally, he smiled, though.

* * *

Tilting his head so the wind wouldn't blow his hair into his eyes again, Allen watched the sun rising in awe.

He didn't know just how the other man did it, but no matter where they were, he would always find a wonderful spot to watch the sunrise. Granted, the rocky cliff they were sitting on was, thanks to the wind, not the most comfortable of places, but it gave a beautiful view over the town, the pyramids, the Nile, the desert.

Glancing to his right, he noted Yu, meditating like every morning, didn't care about the view in the slightest. In fact, he didn't even seem to mind the wind – even though he would probably hate it afterwards, given the fact his hair was going to end up a tangled mess no matter how beautifully it was waving in the air current right then.

Smiling to himself, Allen redirected his gaze at the horizon. The sun had already risen rather high and started to warm his cheeks from the night's cold.

Hopefully their search would be more successful today, but given the circumstances, he wasn't that optimistic anymore.

So far, they had spent five days searching for this innocence-induced mummy.

One mummy in a town of thousands of people.

Like a needle in a haystack.

Eventually, yet another night had passed without any actual progress.

"It's useless," Kanda growled, almost as if he knew where his partner's thoughts had wandered off to, "unless akuma appear and do the searching for us, we won't get any further."

Though surprised at that sudden statement, Allen sighed in agreement. "I know what you mean," he said, "but I still hope we'll find it _before_ people get hurt."

Kanda's eyebrows furrowed at that. "It's the people who are provoking it," he observed, "they don't even try to be helpful."

Again, Allen sighed. "Maybe," he declared and shifted a bit, "we just have to try another way."

The swordsman arched an eyebrow at that and actually met the other's gaze.

"Maybe it's hiding directly under our noses, you know," the boy suggested with a shrug.

Kanda almost laughed at that.

Almost.

"It wouldn't really be dumb enough to hide in the pyramids," he stated, but his frown deepened, "…would it?"

Allen returned the look with a blank face. "That would somewhat explain the mummies," he offered, thinking hard.

Rolling his eyes, Kanda stared at the town below and finally heaved an exasperated sigh. "I don't care," he huffed and wiped a strand of hair out of his face, briefly frowning at the tangles before casting it aside, "we might as well give it a try."

Allen smiled, more at his friend's battle against his hair than his actual words, but wisely decided against commenting it. When said friend suddenly got up, however, he did voice his protest, "Where are you going?"

Already a few steps away, Kanda frowned back at him. "It's windy," he explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "it'll be troublesome if you catch a cold."

Allen looked up at him, his eyes widening slightly.

There it was again, that warm feeling in his chest.

Even though the swordsman didn't voice it properly, and probably never would…he actually cared, and that alone meant a lot.

* * *

Shocked speechless, they couldn't help staring.

They'd found it. The Innocence. It had been right under their noses all along.

"Next time we should check the tourist attractions right away," Allen laughed and pocketed his collection's latest addition while following his partner out of the pyramid's maze of inner tunnels.

"That's not funny," Kanda grunted as he took the final steps that led to the surface.

Following wordlessly, Allen rolled his eyes.

It was then that his left one activated.

"Kanda, watch out!" he called. Just that moment his partner vanished from his sight, accompanied by a loud bang and a string of curses.

Panicking, he took the remaining steps in one flight.

"Sprout, GET DOWN!"

Barely ducking in time, he heard the sandstone behind him bursting.

There was a blue light, a childish laugh, a battle cry.

Without even realizing it, Allen, too, invocated and charged at the Level Four in front of them.

"You carry a lot of Innocence," it chuckled, dodging without much effort, and dove towards the young general, "I hate Innocence~~ "

Allen parried the blow, but the momentum thrust him backwards.

"You're not getting away :) ," the akuma sung.

Suddenly, it was stabbed from behind.

"Likewise," Kanda growled, pushing Mugen deeper.

The Level Four coughed blood and shot blindly behind itself, sending its attacker flying. By that time, Allen had long begun assaulting it.

Hit, dodge, parry, blow, hit, hit, hit…

Suddenly, the akuma yanked Clown Crown out of his hand and slammed him into the wall.

"What now, little exorcist?" it giggled, almost smashing Allen's jaw in its grip, "without your innocence, you're pretty helpless."

Breathing heavily, the boy could only partly open his eyes, staring at his sword that lay in the far distance, pleading it not to leave it alone.

Soaring toward them, it pierced them both.

The akuma's eyes widened. "You've stabbed yourself," it rasped, blood appearing in the corners of its mouth.

Allen smirked down at the creature. "That's an exorcism blade," he stated, "it only hurts that which is evil." That said, however, he started coughing blood as well. He didn't understand… "Crown Clown…?" he whispered, his face distorted in agony.

His own, deafening scream was everything Allen could hear as he felt his mind splitting in two.

It wasn't him moving his body any longer. It wasn't him pacifying that akuma. It wasn't him dodging Mugen by a hair's breadth.

"Bean sprout!"

But it was him grabbing Crown Clown and yanking it down with all his might.

And it was Kanda pushing Mugen in the opposite direction, the both of them efficiently tearing the Level Four apart.

Finally it was dead, leaving nothing behind but blood and gore.

Deactivating his Innocence, Allen slid down the wall, staring blankly ahead.

Only when cold metal forced his chin upward did he meet a fuming swordsman's eyes.

"Turn into a Noah," Kanda hissed acidly, "and I'm gonna _fucking kill you_."

A tear slid down Allen's cheek as he shakily pulled his knees close to hide his face behind them.

"Thank you," he sobbed.

* * *

Frowning down at what was in front of them, Kanda just didn't see the point in their visit. "Just what are we doing here?"

Next to him, Allen shrugged. "I thought, since we're stuck here for a few days anyway, we might as well give it a try," he explained and continued the descent.

"Give _what_ a try?" Kanda demanded and glared down in annoyance, "It's a goddamn mountain lake. Nothing special there."

Allen sighed at that. "Actually, it's a special goddamn mountain lake," he corrected and looked up to send his partner a meaningful glance.

Not a good idea while climbing down a rather bumpy road – he instantly tripped and would have fallen if Kanda hadn't pulled him back in time.

Said saviour however didn't even bother commenting that little incident as he arched an eyebrow in question. "So it's another wild goose innocence hunt."

Albeit still a bit flustered, Allen sighed in mock exasperation. "This lake has been known as the Bathe of Aphrodite for many centuries."

"So it's another sightseeing tour instead," Kanda concluded grumpily and kicked a random pebble, "and I'm sure something awfully cliché will happen to whoever swims in it."

Allen laughed at the swordsman's obvious bad mood. "It's said that those who drink from it will fall in love with the next person they see."

Kanda looked at him at that, an unreadable expression on his face. "You're fucking _dead_ if this ends up useless," he finally hissed, but trudged on nonetheless.

Following closely, Allen was grinning from ear to ear.

* * *

"Hmhm, looks like raw innocence," Allen pondered aloud, "but then again, it could also be a fluorescent fish."

Currently busy taking off his expensive (!) coat, Kanda glared at the boy crouching at the shore and felt the strong urge to simply kick him in.

Unfortunately he couldn't take the risk to have that annoying brat exposed to even more innocence, thus he hadn't had another choice but to volunteer for this annoying task.

_"Dive into the lake and find out what's that shiny thing down there."_

He hated it.

But even more than the task itself, he hated the sappy story around it.

"Just be sure to look at me first in case you accidentally swallow some of the water," the boy chirped.

Honestly, he hated it.

And yet, few moments later, he found himself standing at the shore, ready to jump in.

"Don't make me wait too long!"

He rolled his eyes and set to work.

The water was cool, but not cold. He'd manage. His aim wasn't even that far away, anyway.

And thus he dove, and dove deeper and…

There!

He got it!

It felt slimy and glibbery, but solid at the same time, like a ball of glass lots of fish had decided to place their future offspring on.

He grimaced, but grabbed it as firmly as he could before turning around to get back to the surface.

Yet what he saw there, made him gasp involuntarily.

Never mind he'd just lost most of the oxygen he'd saved for the way back, never mind some of the jinxed water was currently burning its way down his throat – that stupid, annoying, good-for-nothing bean sprout was just sinking into the lake's depths several meters in front of him.

No struggling, no moving at all.

Cursing inwardly, Kanda sped off towards the unlucky boy, grabbing him, yanking him upward.

While reaching Allen had seemingly taken half a second, getting to the surface felt like an eternity. The boy was light, he knew that, so why did he feel so heavy? Briefly glancing downwards, Kanda saw the Innocence shimmering in his left hand. It didn't feel heavy at all, but he still dropped it so he could pull the bean sprout better.

And finally, he reached the surface.

Gasping for air, he pushed Allen onto the shore before he got out of the water as well.

The boy, though, didn't seem willing to move anytime soon.

Briefly checking for life signals, Kanda realized Allen wasn't even breathing anymore.

"Damn."

He laid his hands onto the boy's chest and pushed down.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

Allen twitched, but didn't do anything more. Kanda glared at him and pressed his lips onto the boy's, forcing air into his lungs.

Once, twice.

Jerking up, Allen coughed out lots of water.

He looked positively miserable, gasping for air with his eyes wide and fearful.

Still, Kanda saw neither need no way to help and simply waited until the boy calmed down.

Finally, Allen regained his composure. He still looked awful, but at least he was able to direct a pitiful gaze at his partner. "I'm sorry," he half-whispered, half-wailed.

Kanda couldn't help glaring. "Let's just hope that water hasn't damaged your brain any more than it already–" Suddenly, his voice, already hoarse to begin with, broke completely.

Allen sent him in quizzical look, which Kanda returned with a glare.

Whatever was in that water, it felt as though it was choking him.

He saw the bean sprout panicking.

But then there was only blackness…

* * *

Staring out of the window, out onto a brilliant landscape full of greenery, flowers and sunlight, Allen could see no beauty in it.

He'd had his chance, and he'd foolishly risked it.

He should have known that he wasn't the only endangered by Innocence anymore.

As he glanced down at the hand resting motionlessly in his own, his left eye twitched in warning.

He felt like crying. Long streaks of black were descending down Kanda's left arm, ascending up his throat. Even if he wanted, he wouldn't be able to hide it anymore.

Biting his lip, Allen averted his gaze.

Even if his friend hadn't told him about that tattoo, by now he would have realized just what it was that consumed him more and more.

"I told you to stop angsting."

Startled, Allen looked up to find his friend glaring at him.

It felt strange, feeling warmth spread inside of him in spite of these two unfamiliarly mismatched eyes showing the expression he had so desperately wanted to see throughout these last few hours.

"You're still yourself," he finally breathed out, a tiny smile on his face.

Kanda grimaced and sat up as though nothing had happened. "What about you?" he asked hoarsely, never meeting the boy's eyes, "You were the one drowning, you know."

Tearing his eyes from his partner, Allen bit his lip. He wanted to apologize. Whatever it was that had yanked him into the lake, it was him who'd been so foolish to stand so close to the surface. He should have known better. He should have been more cautious.

…and he wanted to tell Kanda all that. But he knew the older exorcist wouldn't want to hear that but simply an answer to his question. Thus he eventually whispered, "I do feel a bit…different, but…it's nothing in comparison to…you."

Kanda rolled his eyes. "Have you phoned Komui yet?" he asked and wandered around the room.

"No," Allen said, his eyes following his partner.

As he reached the mirror, Kanda groaned at his own reflection.

Hit by another wave of guilt, Allen looked down again. Thanks to his foolishness, Kanda's tattoo had actually extended towards his left eye, inverting its colours and changing its shape.

Allen didn't know what to say. It was his fault, but there were no words that could possibly undo the damage.

"What about the innocence?" Kanda asked.

Hesitating, the boy looked up again. "I don't know," he stuttered, "I didn't exactly want to let you die on me, you know."

Glaring at the boy via the mirror, Kanda once again groaned in annoyance.

"But as far as I can tell, it wasn't lying somewhere near us," Allen finished weakly, "even the water wasn't shimmering anymore."

A soft hiss. "So it's still inside one of us," Kanda stated quietly.

"…or both," Allen added.

A heavy silence settled between them.

"This isn't the end," Allen finally declared, his voice soft yet firm.

Finally, Kanda met his gaze again, both human and demonic eye unreadable. "No, it isn't," he replied, "But it's drawing closer."

**II. Lonesome together - End**

**

* * *

**

A/N: Now, I've not been very original with the Allen-turns-Noah scene, but I somehow couldn't resist; it just fit so well in the plot and I felt like relating to the canon somehow Dx (In retrospective, I wish I'd done this somehow differently, but if I start struggling with that now, this story'll never progress D: - but if you've got any idea how to do this in a better way, please feel free to tell me xO )

Also, it's shorter again - but I can already see the next one becoming a monster like the last one. Still, I'll try to get that one out soon!

Oh, my pal Victor Pedia just told me that when doing CPR, the compression-ventilation ratio should actually be 30 to 2 - but you didn't really want me to cound up to thirty, did you? xD (I've got a friggin driver's license but forgot EVERYTHING about first aid, shame on me D:)

Meanwhile...

Moyashi: See, now you're not the only one whose fate just SUCKS.  
Bakanda: ...just what do you want?  
Moyashi: COMPASSION!  
Bakanda (with high-pitched voice): "Oh no! My poor little beansprout is becoming a psycho! D: You poor, poor thing!"  
Moyashi: ...  
Bakanda: What? You want me to cure your trauma with a nice kick in the ass?  
Moyashi: ...stfu.

* * *

**W00T! It's an OUTTAKE! **(Actually, the scene at the pyramids was longer, but then I noted I just couldn't have them snogging all the time. But somehow, I still like this little tidbit, so just consider it as an extra 8D)

Slowly getting up from the ledge they had been sitting on, Allen tried hiding as best as he could that he was, for some strange reason, grinning from ear to ear. "Say, Kanda," he finally began, facing his friend with a much more neutral expression, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Waiting rather impatiently for the younger one to move, the swordsman arched an eyebrow. "What is it?" he grumbled.

Finally strolling to where his partner was waiting, Allen wondered how to start. "About yesterday morning…" he began, only to be cut off in an instant.

"There's nothing to talk about," Kanda snapped and stalked off.

"But Kanda – ," Allen urged as he snatched his friend's wrist to keep him from leaving.

A loud hiss told him he'd smartly picked the broken one.

He paled, his curiosity instantly overcome with guilt.

Shaking the hand off his wrist, Kanda turned his back on him. "No talking," he warned and walked away, only to be held back _yet again_, but thankfully this time by the shoulder.

Glaring at the boy whose face was hidden behind white tresses, he growled in annoyance.

"No talking, eh?" Allen muttered in an almost inaudible whisper and looked up, smiling. Before the swordsman could retort, he felt a pair of lips locked onto his own.

His eyes widened, even more so when, unlike last time, Allen didn't pull back right away.

Rather, he suddenly felt a hand running behind his neck, another one on his back, found himself responding, wrapping his arms around the small body in front of him that radiated so much warmth in spite of the cool wind around them.

Their lips were still connected, tongues intertwining, and he could literally feel the boy smiling. If he had known how to, he might have smiled back.

Might have.

His mind was dazed enough he didn't immediately notice they had broken apart.

He did however note the obvious blush on the boy's cheeks and felt the urge to roll his eyes. "Geez, bean sprout, you're annoying," he grunted and turned to go, pulling Allen along with him.

"Don't complain," the boy replied and followed unresistingly, yet his expression almost a pout, "You were the one who didn't want to talk."

* * *

Oh no! The fourth A/N of the chapter!: Don't forget reviewing :3


	5. IV Twosome Apart

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

A/N: Zomg, it's been so long since the last chapter~ Honestly, I'm sorry guys! Dx Real life has been way too time-consuming lately (though our -holiday was quite a hell lotta fun 8D) and there was one scene I couldn't quite get right. ...and I still haven't. Also, even though I never wanted this story to have more than 4 chapters, this last one actually cried for me to split it, so I did. This way, I can somehow overcome with my favourite scene of doom without making you guys wait even longer D:

(Also, I'll do all the answering in the next chapert, because my current sleep rhythm sucks enough to let me oversleep if I don't go to sleep within the next few minutes and again, I don't want to postpone putting this on any longer DX)

Soooo, have fun with this chapter 8D

**

* * *

IV. Twosome Apart**

It was a cold night in Vienna.

The hotel they were staying at cost them quite enough, and still its staff didn't seem able to endow their rooms with blankets warm enough for those rough winter nights. Even the covers and blankets of both beds combined didn't suffice to keep Allen from shivering. Kanda's arm was resting loosely on waist, but that didn't mean the other exorcist was close enough for him to actually get some warmth off him.

With lots of patience and even more persistence, Allen had succeeded in so far that his friend didn't even mind him cuddling up to him anymore. And yet, right then, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a cold bedroom, in the middle of an inner dispute, the young general wondered whether he really wanted to wake Kanda just because he was a bit cold.

After all, he would survive a few more hours of shivering, right? And judging from just how cold he felt, he was not only going to wake his friend up, he was actually going to make him feel cold as well.

He wasn't that sure whether dealing with a disgruntled Kanda was really something he wanted to do.

Sighing softly, he wrapped his arms around himself. Hopefully, dawn wasn't too far away anymore.

Yet oddly enough, his sigh came straight back to him.

The arm once resting on top of him suddenly travelled around his back und firmly pulled him closer in one abrupt motion. Grinning like a madman, Allen instinctively snuggled up to that chest which was suddenly so much more tangible, savouring every bit of its warmth, every bit of its scent, every bit of its _feel_…

"_Please, Yu_," he whispered without intending to, "_make me feel warm tonight_."

He could feel how his friend softly kissed the top of his head and intensified his embrace on him. "_Yes, Noah-sama,_" Kanda whispered and ran his fingers through the boy's hair, freeing his forehead so he could gently place his lips on it as he firmly turned the boy onto his back, straddling his hips, kissing on.

Finally, the warmth Allen so desperately needed wasn't only coming from the outside anymore. It spread within him like a wildfire, originating in his belly, his chest, and just about every spot on his skin his friend's – his _lover's_ – lips were wandering across.

It felt like heaven, he didn't want it to stop, he wanted to get touched like this, to get loved like this _forever_.

_So why…_ he wondered as he stared up at the dark ceiling, tears running out of his eyes without him noticing as the two words Kanda had whispered echoed in his head over and over again, _…why wasn't that passion _real_?_

.

He'd been annoyed when the boy had woken him for the thousandth time that night, shivering with cold but too proud to just be a pest and_ cuddle_ like he always did.

Thus, he'd done the only logical thing and drawn the boy closer in the desperate hope of getting some sleep after all.

No such luck.

He didn't know what it was.

Didn't care what it was.

That strange urge that suddenly overcame him.

For whatever reason, he wanted to feel the sprout, to smell him, to taste him…

What started as a soft kiss on the forehead quickly grew more passionate, more fierce. Slowly wandering downward, he kissed the boy's eye, his cheek, tasted the sweetness of his lower lip. His tongue travelled along Allen's jawline, down his throat and came to a halt at his collar bone as he couldn't help sucking at that porcelain skin, never getting enough of whatever it was that intoxicated him so much about the boy.

Suddenly, he felt Allen's fingers running through his hair.

"Please, Kanda…" the whispered shakily, making him freeze with the obvious pain in his voice, "…this isn't really you, is it?"

Staring up with his eyes wide, he saw thin trails of tears on the boy's cheeks, reflecting what little light the moon provided.

His breath hitched as he quickly averted his gaze, biting his lips hard. His arms had long started shaking when he pushed himself off the boy, off the bed, and staggered towards the bathroom.

_How…_ Staring at his own hateful reflection in the mirror, cursing the monster inside of him that had dared taking control, he clutched the sink like a lifeline, _…could this have happened?_

.

Next-door, Allen couldn't keep the tears from falling. He didn't dare moving, didn't dare reacting when he heard the mirror shattering in the bathroom.

He desperately tried telling himself that it wouldn't get any worse – that, somehow, things could only go uphill from now.

And at least that was true, wasn't it?

Reaching up to hide his eyes behind his forearm, he couldn't suppress the sobs any longer.

No matter what he told himself, he'd never felt so miserable in his life.

* * *

He'd been lying awake for half an eternity.

He wasn't sure whether he'd actually fallen asleep sometime in-between, but he certainly didn't feel like it.

Somehow, however, quite a lot of time had passed – outside, the sun was shining brightly.

Allen grimaced.

These last days of Austrian winter had taught him that brightness didn't quite equal warmth. Ever since he'd been lying alone, he hadn't stopped shivering once. The room's temperature hadn't risen in the slightest – it was just that he didn't mind that much anymore.

He didn't know what to think, what to feel.

He wanted to get up, to cast off the unease that was nagging at his consciousness, but at the same time, he was just…so terribly afraid.

Forcing his eyes to focus once more, he felt as though the plain, white ceiling was mocking him.

For lying around.

For feeling so helpless.

…so naive.

"I hate naive people," it seemed to be saying.

He glared at it.

"…but people who don't keep their promises, I hate even more!" it finished.

Allen stared at it, unable to even form a mental response.

He hated that statement.

Thanks to his thoughtful companion, it had followed him wherever he went ever since he had first joined the Order.

But as much as he hated it, it was right.

It wasn't even a year ago that he had promised his friend that he would stop whining, that he would act responsibly, that he would be his strength instead of his burden.

And as he finally got up to look for said friend, he was incredibly ashamed to have forgotten that promise for even a second.

* * *

Wandering aimlessly through that incredibly polluted town, Kanda wondered just what they were doing here.

"A place where many people live is likely to produce some sort of conformer, don't you agree?" Allen had chirped when they'd first entered town.

Maybe, he had a point. But that didn't mean the swordsman was enjoying their stay.

"Excuse me, Lady."

Inwardly, he groaned. He'd left his hair open so less people could see the markings on his face. But that, in return, had led many to a very wrong and very dangerous conclusion.

"Carrying a weapon in public is forbidden by law."

Yet another misery. Thanks to their latest battle, it wasn't only Allen's uniform anymore that lay torn to shreds somewhere in the wilderness. And thanks to that, people didn't realize anymore that he was someone better not meddled with.

"I must ask you to accompany me to the station," the policeman finished and grabbed Kanda's hand as it instinctively sped towards Mugen's hilt.

Maybe that was the last straw, maybe it had already been the obvious leech in the officer's voice. Either way, the samurai had turned the tables before he knew it, twisting the hand that had formerly grabbed his in a not quite but almost painful way. "Now listen up, _officer_," he groaned, finally making eye contact with the policeman. "As opposed to what I may look like," he hissed, twisting only the tiniest bit more, "I'm neither a _woman_, nor am I going to hurt civilians." He could tell that the sight of his demonic eye alone had been enough to make the man shudder with fear, yet he had to bring his point across before letting go. "But if you decide to stand in my way," he went on, staring straight into the petrified officer's eyes, "I won't have a chance but to extinguish you _for the greater good_." He paused briefly in order to inflict even more terror upon his victim. "_Understood?_" he asked at last, his voice nothing more than a mere whisper but far enough for the other one to hear him.

When the officer nodded frantically, Kanda finally let go of his wrist and continued his path with not much more than an irritated "che".

He didn't mind that the officer sank down to his knees with a probably severe trauma. He'd asked for it.

Hopefully, there weren't going to be any more such nuisances on his way to the outskirts. He only wanted a quiet place to meditate, and if people kept trying his temper, he wasn't willing to hold back much longer.

"Excuse me, Lady?"

As he whirled around, Mugen found its way to the offender's throat within half a second. "Got a problem, punk?" Kanda growled as he glared daggers at the boy in front of him.

"Yeah," Allen smiled warmly as he reached out to brush some wayward strands of black hair behind his friend's ear, "I'm travelling the world together with a brute."

Grunting in annoyance, Kanda turned away. "Still better than with a moron," he grumbled and sheathed Mugen, glaring anyone away who dared watching them.

"So basically, you're telling me to act like an idiot to make him feel understood?" Allen asked innocently.

Groaning, Kanda regarded the boy with distaste. "I'm telling you to pretend you had a brain so you don't always need someone to beat reason into you."

Allen crossed his arms in front of his chest. "But I rather like my fellow traveller, I don't want him to stop watching over me," he pondered thoughtfully, "I'd be kinda lost without him."

Kanda clicked his tongue at that. "Then don't be such a brat," he offered and set off at last.

"Hey, wait," Allen called, quickly catching up, "where are you going? The hotel's the other wa –"

"I fucking _hate_ this town," Kanda grunted, never slowing down.

"You hate every town, dammit!" Allen protested.

"I only hate the towns you drag me to."

"Then where do YOU want to go?"

"…I don't care."

"Great, me neither!"

"So what?"

"So…" Allen drawled, grabbed his friend's wrist and pulled him towards a nearby Christmas booth, "…we're just staying here for a while, okay?"

Albeit visibly annoyed, Kanda rolled his eyes, which Allen returned with a soft smile before addressing the vendor in front of them. "One hot chocolate, please," he ordered and sent a charming beam in his companion's direction, "and what can I get for the lady?"

.

The shop assistant gasped when suddenly one of the two customers in front of her vanished with one loud thump and one even louder yell, but she knew better than to question them when the one remaining, an almost _too _handsome young man with long black hair, addressed her as if nothing had happened. "Do you also have green tea?"

.

Standing under the booth's canopy as the snow started falling, the two of them sipped at their drinks in companionable silence.

Finally, it was Kanda who broke the silence. "Beansprout."

"It's _Allen_," the boy replied drowsily, too distracted by the snow to form a smart remark.

"From now on, it's your responsibility," Kanda went on, his voice quiet yet distinct.

Blinking, Allen finally met hit gaze. "…huh?"

Resting his back against the booth, the swordsman gazed out into the snowstorm. "It's…not much different from what it was before, is it?" he mused absently, "You're the general, I'm the exorcist." His voice grew softer. "You're the Noah, I'm the akuma." Looking down, he let his breath puff out and ignored the strangled sound Allen made when he grasped what he was saying. "No matter what happens, I'll always give my life to protect you," Kanda went on quietly, "and even if I try to resist, in the end, you'll always be the one to tell me what to do and…whom to kill." He didn't meet the boy's gaze, but he noted his hand's shaking, his lips loosing its colour with the force they were bitten onto. "The only difference is that…" he all but whispered as he looked up at the wooden canopy, "from now on, I don't have much of a say anymore."

A long, heavy silence stretched between them.

"Kanda…" Allen rasped, staggering closer, opening his mouth and closing it again when he realized that what he wanted to say wasn't what his friend wanted to hear.  
"…I'll take the responsibility," he stated at last, his voice firm in spite of his worries, his smile steady in spite of his fear. "So please," he added gently, reaching out for Kanda's hand as if to assure he was really there to hear his words, "trust me."

He half-expected an angry retort, a curse, an insult to follow his words – anything but that which came.

"Alright."

A simple word, so short, so common, and yet to Allen, it meant the world.

* * *

As the train made its bumpy way towards Brussels, two poor exorcists were forced to travel low-class thanks to the absence of their uniforms.

"You sure about this?" Allen asked and sent a strained smile towards the three children squirming on the seat next to him.

Resting his elbow on the windowsill, Kanda regarded his superior with an annoyed sigh. "If we don't try, we won't know just how much influence you have on me under normal circumstances," he explained impatiently as he adjusted his brand-new eye patch for the sixtieth time that day, "and I sure as hell don't want to find out any other way."

Dumbfounded, Allen gazed uncertainly at his friend's sour expression. "Umm, okay…" he finally drawled, looking sheepish, "…hug me?"

Frowning at first, Kanda threw himself against the backrest, groaning in exasperation. "Not like that," he grumbled, "What did you say that night?"

Allen sighed and ruffled his hair. "I told you," he whined, "I don't remember."

Kanda rolled his eyes, groaning yet again.

"It was late and my thoughts were elsewhere, you know," the boy justified himself, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Elsewhere my ass," Kanda snapped, "You know as well as I do that – " A swift yet hearty jab to the ribs silenced him in an instant.

And what was worse: It didn't come from his partner, but from the woman that had dared taking the seat next to him. "Please, gentlemen, there are children next to you," she chided them angrily, "keep your obscenities to yourselves."

While Allen held his breath in shock, Kanda glared at the woman as though the whole world had gone crazy.

And it didn't help in the slightest that one of said children, a young boy around the age of seven, chose that moment to step up to the swordsman and ask, "Say, Mister, are you a Lady?"

As priceless as Kanda's expression may have been, Allen had no time to waste as he sped forward, just in time to keep a raging samurai from beheading woman and child alike. "Dammit, _Yu_, calm down!" he hissed and pushed his friend back onto his seat before addressing a handful of disturbed passengers. "Please, you don't want to know anything about us, we don't want to know anything about you, so let's just coexist peacefully until this train ride is over," he offered with a never-faltering smile on his lips and turned to his companion. "…right, Kanda?" he prompted through gritted teeth.

Gazing lazily out of the window, the swordsman looked up at him as if nothing had happened. "What are you so fidgety about?" he asked in his usual, mildly annoyed tone as he resumed watching the landscape passing by, "Just sit down and shut up."

Never moving an inch, Allen couldn't help but stare. "…Kanda?" he asked cautiously.

"Hm?" the other replied absently.

"You were fuming half a minute ago, you know," Allen stated flatly and returned to his seat at last.

Kanda arched an eyebrow at him. "What about it?" he drawled.

Sighing softly, Allen leant back. "So it worked, huh?" he wondered aloud.

"Apparently," his friend replied dispassionately.

There was a short pause before Allen joined him in watching the landscape and muttered, "At least now you don't need anger management classes anymore, huh?"

He knew that under normal circumstances, he would at least have earned a kick with that. Now, however, Kanda merely glared daggers at him. "If you ever abuse this," he grunted, "you're a dead man."

Allen didn't even bother suppressing the smirk that crept on his face. "Sure, sure," he said.

* * *

"Beansprout, get OUT OF THE WAY!"

Jumping aside, Allen was just quick enough to escape a swift yet utterly useless death getting pierced by Mugen as Kanda rammed it right into the skull of the Level Three that had snuck up behind the general without him noticing.

"Be more careful next time," the swordsman ground out and quickly scanned their surroundings for any more dangers.

Allen didn't bother looking. "There's none left, for now," he observed as his left eye ceased activation.

Kanda didn't reply, but sheathed Mugen silently.

"You've gotten faster again," Allen remarked quietly and tore his gaze off his friend in order to look for the carriage they had left to fight the enemy.

"And you've gotten lazier," Kanda retorted and set off.

Allen laughed at that. "Touché," he replied good-naturedly.

.

They had almost reached their belongings when suddenly, a loud crash announced the arrival of yet another enemy.

"Damn," Kanda grunted, "where the fuck does the Earl get all those Level Four from?!"

.

By now, the two of them had become strong enough to defeat a Level Four quickly, even in their current, rather exhausted states.

If they worked together.

And so they did.

But that didn't change the fact yet another Level Four appeared before they could take care of the first one.

Already pretty beaten to begin with, Allen and Kanda stood back on back between two powerful foes.

"Any ideas?" the swordsman ground out, wiping some blood off the corner of his mouth.

"We'd best get one of them alone," the general replied helpfully, "But we can't get separated."

Kanda rolled his eyes at that, but didn't object. "Why can't you just tell them to self-destruct?" he asked gruffly as he got back into battle position, "you are somewhat of a Noah after all."

"Ha. Ha." Annoyed, Allen _accidentally_ stepped on his friend's toes as he got ready as well. "And you are somewhat of an akuma," he retorted, "you could as well absorb them, you know."

"Just…" Kanda grumbled as he reactivated Mugen, "…shut up."

* * *

It had been a simple plan.

A simple plan that should still have been effective.

"Stop it," Allen whispered shakily as he stared in horror at the soul of the being right in front of him.

Even though they'd all but fought back on back in the beginning, one well-aimed blow had efficiently hurled his partner out of his field of vision.

"What now, exorcist?" the akuma teased him, approaching him with unnerving calmness.

Biting his lip, Allen struggled back on his feet, parrying the next blow just on time. He couldn't afford worrying right now. Kanda would be fine.

.

A hundred metres to the West, said swordsman had just sliced an arm off his opponent, making it scream in pain and rage.

"Damn, should've aimed better," he muttered angrily as he spat some blood on the earthy ground and sped towards the akuma once more. As it had lost its balance along with its arm, he easily hit it. Once, twice, thri–

His eyes widened as the Level Four grabbed Mugen and pushed it further into its abdomen, yanking Kanda along with it, grinning all the while, seizing his hair at last, pulling his head close. "You hurt me," it screeched, its hateful face close enough to let him smell its bad breath, "Why? You feel like one of us."

Just as the swordsman kicked himself off the monster to get some distance between them, it ripped off what was left of his eyepatch.

"Akuma and exorcist at the same time," it drawled, confusion evident on its features that slowly distorted in anger, "You know what we do with low-levels who don't know their place?"

Creating Mugen's second illusion yet again, Kanda glared at the akuma. "I'm not one of you filthy bastards," he retorted, sending Hell's Insects toward the Level Four before dashing towards him at last.

"We'll find out about that, shall we?" it chuckled madly, flying off to meet him halfway, parrying, countering, exchanging blows until finally –

Mugen's illusionary copy vanished in thin air as Kanda's whole arm went numb. He stared in horror at the akuma that was suddenly far too close for comfort – close enough for pain. He screamed in pain as he felt the monster's three sets of teeth working their way into his flesh, tearing it apart with every move they made. And on top of all the pain, the numbness, the shock, he suddenly felt a drain as well. The sudden rage that went though him as he realized it was _sucking his blood_ – it felt as though it rejuvenated him, gave him back his consciousness, gave him a strength he never possessed –

Suddenly, the akuma gagged, releasing his flesh as it stumbled backward, spitting blood while staring at him with open hatred. "Innocence?" it screeched, its voice breaking in the process.

Groaning in anger when he noted the Level Four's arm had regrown thanks to _his blood_, Kanda extended his hand towards the akuma. He felt the long thread of black ink extending on his skin thanks to the wound, slowly taking over more and more of his body and mind.

And as his palm met the akuma's forehead, he suddenly didn't care anymore what he did, how he did it – as long as that goddamn monster _died_.

It emitted a screech, long, high-pitched and ear-shattering, yet it twisted into nothingness all too soon as it vanished along with the akuma being drawn into and all-devouring vacuum.

Only when it was long over did the swordsman realize just what he'd done.

.

He heard a scream in the distance.

Forgetting his opponent for the briefest of moments, Allen froze in shock. He'd heard that scream before…

It was then that an irksome etching spread on his forehead, along with a painful sting in his stomach as whatever the Level Four had been aiming at him had actually hit.

Unable to do anything else, he looked up at the pitiful being, no rage but compassion in his eyes.

It froze just like he had a mere moment ago.

Not caring about anything but _helping Kanda_, he reached up and patted the akuma's head. "Please stop resisting," he hummed gently, "I won't do you any harm."

An uncharacteristic, genuine smile spread on the Level Four's lips. "Of course, Noah-sama," it whispered softly, its voice no longer distorted in agony as the soul bound by it mouthed exactly the same words, "…thank you."

Piercing its body slowly yet steadily, Clown Crown released the akuma from its agonizing existence, Allen smiling all the while.

_Now you're free,_ he mouthed, tears rolling out of his eyes without him noticing.

.

When he staggered towards where he'd heard the scream originating, he finally saw _him_ sitting on the ground, his back resting against the remains of a pillar, ashen hands lying motionlessly next to him, his eyes hidden behind long bangs, his general appearance so much…_different_.

Allen wasn't sure whether to be relieved to find him or to worry about the pool of blood he was lying in. He only wished his own legs weren't so slow, so unwilling to get closer.

He wanted to see _his_ face, to make sure _he_ wasn't leaving him alone…

And there, finally, he allowed his legs to give way, slumping down on his lover's lap, running a hand through his hair to make him look upward.

Two catlike, black-yellow eyes stared back at him out of a face that was too pallid to be human. He couldn't help smiling. "Some pretty new complexion you've got there, Yu-chan," he commented fondly.

Instantly, a scowl appeared on Kanda's face. "And you've got some inviting new crosshairs, idiot," he retorted, glaring daggers at the boy before exhaustion took over again, forcing him to close his eyes.

Allen's smile grew softer. Clasping his hands behind his friend's neck, he gently rested his forehead against Kanda's, never voicing another word.

Maybe his head should have been flooded with questions, with fear and with worries urging him to phrase them.

But as it was, he felt strangely blank. There was nothing clouding his consciousness, no unease invading his mind. There was only a strange feeling – not even a proper thought, but plain awareness.

_We're still alive._

**IV. Twosome Apart - End**

* * *

A/N: Getting darker _again_ Oo

Allen: I'd rather you stayed yourself, Yu-chan D:  
Kanda: I guess there isn't much time left anyway D:

And thus we're on our way to the last chapter, which I'll upload within the next days (...unless the editing's going to kill me as much as I fear it will)  
Although, strike the "unless" - if I haven't uploaded it by Sunday, feel free to verbally kick me 8D

Till then!


	6. V Void

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will, and if I did, I'd do my best to end this unnerving hiatus ;_;

A/N: Now, first of all, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: Belladonna-Isabella, Erendyce, thechiifactor and MitarashiiDango. I really appreciate your words :)

Once again, special thanks to Belladonna-Isabella for your those great and motivating words of yours even when I'm not explicitly asking for a review at the end of the chapter. Thanks a lot x-)

Also, I'd like to thank Shinigami's Voice for taking the time and reviewing each chapter in so much detail (and while at work, for that matter xD). And yeah, I love the mental image of Kanda's hair flying in the wind as wel o,.o

Now, to everyone who's been wondering about it: "-anata" at the end of a name means you're talking to/about someone you're, well, infatuated with 8D  
And another vocabulary thing, from chapter 4: "schmaltzy" is an actual English word, meaning about the same as "sappy". Actually, I had, once upon a time, intended to substitute that word before uploading the chapter, but I kinda failed D: Well, maybe I'll do that sometime in the future, but in the meantime, I'll just blame Writing On Train Rides Without A Proper Online Dictionary TM (coughs)

* * *

**V. ****Void**_  
_

They had been sitting there for half an eternity, amidst the blood, amidst the battlefield.

Finally, Kanda reacted to his friend's presence, wrapping his hands around Allen's hips, pulling him closer as he rested his chin on his partner's shoulder. Shuddering slightly, the boy felt hot breath tickling his ear. Suddenly, _being alive_ felt so much _more real_ again. Enjoying the sensation, he inhaled deeply, taking in just as much of his lover's scent as he was stealing warmth from his, sitting on his lap like that…

Another hot breath tickled his ear.

"Maybe," Kanda murmured softly, his voice more affectionate than Allen ever thought possible, "this is the last chance we get."

Closing his eyes, Allen tightened his grip on his friend. He knew what he was talking about – because he knew it was true. "It probably is," he replied quietly, lowering his head ever so slightly. At that, Kanda's hand went up to gently stroke his hair, as if to reassure him.

"Let's just," the boy rasped and let out a soft sob, "stay like this for a while longer, shall we?"

With their cheeks touching, he could feel his friend's lips curling upward in a gentle smile. "Alright," Kanda whispered and caught Allen's lips with his own.

.

They were lying next to each other, looking up at the grey sky, their hands intertwined.

The battle had left their bodies as torn as their clothing. And yet, they hadn't bothered attending to Allen's wound, hadn't even bothered moving out of the drying crimson pool that was Kanda's blood.

"What'll happen to our Innocences?" Allen whispered, breaking the silence.

"Akuma will come to destroy them," Kanda replied nonchalantly, "the Order won't notice for a while, they don't even know where we are right now."

Allen bit his lip. "We can't do that," he rasped shakily and struggled to get up in spite of the gash in his abdomen, "we have to return it." Another loud gasp and he dropped back down, but he didn't fall onto the hard ground.

Collecting the boy in his arms, Kanda looked at him. "Can you open a gate to the ark?"

* * *

Staring out of the window, Lenalee sighed in frustration.

They weren't sure just how it had happened, but several weeks ago, their Innocences had…changed. No matter whether activated or not, they kept radiating an odd rosy light, neither bright nor eye-catching yet definitely _warm_.

And along with that warmth, a new, incredible strength had come. For the first time ever, the whole Black Order had felt that somehow, someday they could actually _win this war_.

But then again, of course the Earl had taken notice of that change and thus sent even more of countless minions on the battlefield.

And again, everything started looking hopeless.

And speaking of the devil…again, an ear-shattering alarm pierced the silence. "Warning! All exorcists to the main hall!"

Standing up without even realizing it, she noted her hands were trembling. "Allen, Kanda…" she whispered and took off, "…just where are you when we need you?"

* * *

As they entered the white city, an eerie silence greeted them.

They didn't really mind the loneliness.

"My room," Allen whispered, feeling strangely light-headed as he nodded toward their right, "It's somewhere…over there." Exhaustion taking over again, he rested his head back against Kanda's shoulder. He'd noted before how his friend's skin had turned almost white, but he only now realized the tattoo had gone. There were still dark trails adorning his body, but they were of a dark red shade, having originated in a wound in Kanda's shoulder that had healed already, probably thanks to the absorption of another akuma.

Yet underneath the drying blood, there was a new sign adorning the swordsman's chest just above his heart…

"You're a Level Six," Allen breathed, his fingers trailing the mark as his dazed mind tried to grasp the implications. Finally, he frowned up at his friend. "_You'll get rid of me without much of a fuss_, huh?" he quoted in a scolding tone, "Somehow _Level Six_ sounds rather invincible, don't you agree?"

Kanda glared back at him, "You're a Noah, idiot," he grumbled, "You can tell me to die anytime."

Allen rolled his eyes, letting his head hang again. "You'll get a nice, painful exorcism, darling," he giggled.

Kanda sighed at that, almost dropping his friend for good measure, "Just be sure not do die first, you weakling."

Allen would have smiled up at him if seeing the world passing by upside down wasn't as hypnotizing. Suddenly, though, there was a white and black blur in front of his vision. He never got a chance to warn Kan –

There was one single blur in front of his eyes, as he felt like floating, landing softly, and suddenly he found himself, still in Kanda's arms, facing a Level Three that was currently stuck between a black boot and a wall.

"Tse," it growled, obviously displeased at the harsh welcome, "just because you're late you don't have to take it out on me, you know." It glared daggers at the swordsman, but didn't even bother struggling for freedom.

Kanda scowled back. "…you want to die that badly?" he grunted, increasing the pressure on the akuma's chest.

Finally, it did struggle – but only to find that it was far from able to free itself. Slowly but surely the swordsman's glare turned into a sadistic smirk.

The mere sight had Allen's heart beat faster in sick anticipation. But then again…

"No, this is wrong," he whispered, sad eyes looking up at the man carrying him, "don't…"

Blinking – and apparently regaining some of his self-control – Kanda sent him a questioning glance, but did lessen the pressure on the creature somewhat. Allen sighed with relief as he finally turned his head to address the akuma. "What happened here?" he asked quietly.

Finally, the Level Three seemed to notice just who he was talking to. "We're extinguishing the exorcists," it gasped, its eyes wide yet its gaze actually _sincere_, "surely the Earl has notified you, Noah-sama?"

Allen smiled wryly, but didn't answer. Instead, he activated his Innocence and granted the akuma a quick and painless salvation. "Thank you, Level Three," he whispered and looked up at Kanda with a silent plea in his eyes.

The swordsman merely shrugged. "Let's find out if there's anything left to rescue."

Allen tilted his head, reaching up to caress his friend's cheek. "_Yu_," he whispered as two demonic eyes met his own, "_don't kill our friends._"

"_Yes, Noah-sama._"

* * *

Something had happened.

Again, their Innocences had grown stronger – again, the akuma had grown in numbers. The feeling that had infiltrated everyone's minds throughout the last weeks – the feeling of a countdown approaching zero ever so steadily – returned full force when the sky darkened, when not only more and more black dots appeared everywhere, but also angry grey clouds forced their way in front of the sun, forming one foreboding, impenetrable ceiling above them.

Shuddering, Miranda gripped her Innocence more tightly. Right in front of her eyes, her friends were fighting fiercely, giving everything they had.

But no matter how hard she wished to join them, she couldn't do anything but watch them – watch _over_ them – capturing their times in the desperate hope of keeping them alive that way.

A shudder ran though her body when, for the umpteenth time that day, an akuma attacked the invisible shield around her, cursing loudly when it didn't hit, punching, kicking and firing again and again.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU BITCH!"

She fearfully looked up at it, unable to say anything, unable to _do_ anything.

_It's only a Level Two_, she told herself, trying her very best to ignore its aggravated screeches as she realized none of her comrades were in any position to save her, _…maybe I could…?_

The decision was taken away from her when, yet again, the akuma crashed against the shield. But this time, it was different – this time, it was bleeding – screaming – dissolving.

Behind it, two vaguely familiar shapes appeared.

He eyes widened with recognition. "Allen-san, Kanda-san...?" she cried in relief, tears momentarily obscuring her vision. Yet when she blinked, when the mist softened for a second, her breath hitched.

Grunting in annoyance, the demon wearing the swordsman's skin laid down the burden he was carrying before speeding off without another word.

Looking up at her as he sat on the ground, the Noah that looked so much like Allen smiled gently.

A sob escaped her shaking lips. She didn't know what hurt more to look at – the dark skin and golden eyes or the enormous gash in his abdomen.

"Miranda-san," he breathed softly, his eyes never leaving hers, "I mean you no harm." If possible, his smile softened further. "I want the Earl gone as much as you do," he went on, "but in order to accomplish that, I need your help one last time."

She stared at him. She didn't blink. At last, she bit her lip and…nodded.

* * *

"Hi-ban: Gouka Kaijin!"

Briefly scanning his surroundings, Lavi noted unhappily that, even though he'd already hammered several dozen akuma into non-existence, he was just as surrounded as half an hour ago.

Well, objectively spoken, he could still go on for quite a while, but the enemy's seemingly never-ending reinforcements, along with increasing fierceness of the rain descending mercilessly onto the battle field, didn't exactly raise his spirits.

"I just hope…" he muttered through gritted teeth as he exorcised yet another set of demons, "…the others are alright."

It was when he, for a split second, allowed himself to watch the akuma's remains dissipating that he noted something strange.

A light at the end of the tunnel?

…or rather the calm before the storm?

He couldn't tell whether the akuma in the far distance were getting extinguished by the being approaching him far too fast for his liking… or whether they were opening an aisle for it. But there was one thing he was sure about – it was getting closer and closer, dashing toward him like a hawk ready to kill its prey.

He barely had the time to lift his Odzuchi Kodzuchi in front of him when already a disturbingly familiar blade clashed with the hammer's handle.

"Be thankful I was told not to kill you, exorcist," the akuma hissed, glaring up at him out of two black-yellow eyes, never removing the katana but intensifying the pressure instead. "Although, if you don't gather your little friends and scram," it went on, its voice dropping to a mere whisper as it leant closer, "I might as well forget my orders."

Rendered motionless, Lavi stared ahead of him, watching in bewilderment how the akuma were decimated by a strange kind of vacuum sucking them in. In the meantime, the merciless Yu-look-alike detached itself from him with an unsympathetic "che" before speeding off again.

As he stood alone where hundreds of akuma had been mere moments before, it took the bookman several deep breaths to regain his composure. Finally, he ran a hand through his hair and looked up into the rainy sky.

"So that's how it is, huh?"

* * *

She felt so much energy surging through her body, so much power to defeat countless enemies.

So why… she wondered as she tripped for the second time that day, …why did it feel as though that power was too much for her to bear?

Denying any kind of despair, she struggled to get back on her feet before any akuma could use that chance to kill her.

"Please don't fight."

Blinking when she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she realized there were tears in her eyes. It wasn't the first time he'd come to save her, was it?

A flash of light, and suddenly all the akuma diminished. She grimaced at the sight. "You've always made us look like rookies," she whispered in pure relief as she rested her hand on his, "haven't you, Allen?"

Crouching down behind her, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Lenalee-san," he breathed into her ear, "please gather your comrades and flee. We'll take care of the rest."

Before she could as much as nod in response, he already stood again, scanning the area and setting off again after only a short smile in her direction.

Even if it was only a mere moment, it was enough for her to note how…his skin colour was no longer what it used to be.

…how _he_ was no longer _who he used to be_.

* * *

Miranda stared at the scene unfolding in front of her.

She had captured Allen's time, or at least the time of whoever it was looking so much like him – but neither he nor Kanda had been anywhere near the other exorcists who'd been back just in time…

Just in time to escape the huge explosion that had preceded the entrance of their real enemy…

Ever since they had taken out the last Noah only two weeks ago, the Earl had grown more cautious.

And more bloodthirsty.

If Allen and Kanda were still there…

Biting her lips, Miranda stared at the horizon. There was nothing left but a wasteland covered in mist.

"Miranda."

Looking to the side with her whole body shivering in fear, she saw Lenalee crouching down next to her. "Let's retreat," she told her, smiling gently, "you're tired, aren't you?"

Suppressing a sob, Miranda stared back at the horizon. "But…" she hiccupped, "…they're relying on me."

As comprehension dawned, Lenalee's eyes widened. Following her friend's gaze, she recognized a faint light in the distance, emitting battle-like sparks every other moment. She stared at the ground, hesitating for a moment. "If they're fighting for us right now…" she whispered and stood up again, "then please excuse me."

She activated her innocence, yet it was Lavi's voice held her back. "Don't go," he rasped, grabbing her hand, "even though we're still able to fight, this isn't our battle."

Lenalee stared at him in utter horror, both shaken and angry. "How can you say that!" she exclaimed and yanked her hand free.

"Because they might kill us if we tried helping," he replied, his voice matter-of-fact even though his face clearly told another story, "we'd be nothing less than a nuisance."

Gulping heavily, she sent him a long glare and finally slumped back on the ground, crying heavily.

* * *

Far in the distance, two swords clashed – one black and white, the other white and black.

"Your existence has been a nuisance from the very beginning," the Earl sung as he parried his adversary's blow, countering with one of his own.

"Yours hasn't," the 14th hummed and jumped out of danger's reach, "there was a time I admired you." As he raised Crown Clown above his head, his lips widened into a smirk. "That was long ago, though." And then, he charged again.

They exchanged blows, faster and faster.  
More and more intense.  
More and more dangerou–

"Urgh…"

Blood splattered onto the ground.

Stumbling backward, the enemy's blade still embedded in his chest, the 14th sunk onto his knees.

"This time," the Earl smiled as he stepped closer, shoving the sword deeper into its prey, "stay dead, will you?"

Yet, while coughing up another mouthful of blood, the 14th's face distorted into a wide grin.

Even more blood splashed, merging with the crimson mud below.

Eyes wide, glasses falling, the Earl gagged in pain. "What the–"

Standing behind their enemy, the Level Six never spoke a word as he pulled Mugen further and further down the man's torso, all but slicing him to pieces.

As he screamed in pain but was unable to move aside, the Earl had no chance but to watch the 14th's grin widening as he struggled but succeeded in reactivating Crown Clown.

"Don't you dare…" he gasped and spat even more blood, slumping onto his knees as the second blade pierced his body. "You're going to regret this," he screeched, his voice trembling in volume and pitch.

"Just die, please," the 14th whispered as both exorcists pushed the swords deeper into their foe. But suddenly, they didn't meet any resistance anymore. Looking almost… like a liquid, the Earl's form started quivering, expanding, absorbing both substance and light alike. "To think you've gotten me that far," he hissed in pure hatred, his wavy appearance growing larger and larger, "but you're not even close to victory."

Shrill laughter rang throughout the area as the Earl, growing larger and alrge, engulfed whatever he could get, yanking both Noah and akuma inside by the weapons it had long swallowed.

They didn't even bother resisting the pull.

* * *

It happened simultaneously – Miranda's heartbreaking wail and the Earl's mad laughter – and it was then that they all knew…

By now they could actually see their enemy – not because he was approaching but because he was _growing._

…and they prepared for the worst.

* * *

Blinking, they looked at each other.

Both of them knew they shouldn't be standing at the old headquarters' entrance, appearing so incredibly young, so incredibly _human_. Both knew they shouldn't feel so strangely _aware_, having long surrendered the control over their bodies. And yet, both knew what to do.

Stumbling forward, Allen smiled at his friend, only vaguely noting how their surroundings changed. Was that…Martel?

Meeting the younger man halfway, Kanda pulled him into a tight embrace. All around them, houses turned white, their shapes changing drastically while the sky above them turned so much more brilliant. The Ark.

Leaning into his lover's chest, Allen took in the scent he'd missed so much. Long corridors, huge windows and yet such a gloomy atmosphere. Their new headquarters definitely held a unique quality.

Once Kanda guided the boy's chin upward, their eyes locked. That was a busy street in Calcutta, wasn't it?

The swordsman didn't even bother resisting the urge and simply crushed his lips onto his lover's ones. The heat from the sun started stinging, but so did the wind blowing many grains of sand against their skin. Had Cairo always been that windy?

As he rested his hand on the swordsman's chest, Allen broke the kiss to send him the warmest of smiles.

Maybe he was hallucinating.

But…

When he activated his innocence, his claws piercing Kanda's heart just as Mugen pierced his own, he meant to see his lover smiling.

And suddenly, all the other failures in his life didn't count anymore.

Because he'd accomplished the one goal that meant the most.

* * *

The air had started crackling.

As those exorcists still able to dashed towards their enemy, they could feel the tension with all their senses.

But then, just before they reached him, the Earl's droplet-like form started shaking –

Quivering –

Trembling –

Breaking altogether.

Burst from the inside by an incredible amount of blinding white light.

It lasted no longer than a few seconds.

Afterwards, where once stood the giant shape of their archenemy, the air was now filled with thousands of tiny sparks floating the air before diminishing at last.

All too soon, it stopped raining.

All too soon, a ray of sunlight pierced the gloomy ceiling above them.

Finally, the clouds parted completely, and all of a sudden the world almost looked _friendly_ again.

It was then, as they were standing amidst corpses and debris, staring up at the brightness of a new beginning, that they realized…

Maybe, just maybe, _they had won after all_.

**V. Void - End**

**

* * *

**

**A/N: **...

Allen: First you had a three on your chest, now it's a six. You've doubled!  
Kanda: That "three" is called "Om", you idiot.  
Allen: Sure, sure. But why a level six, though?  
Kanda: Ask the authoress. I'm pretty sure she didn't do it for no reason.

Allen: But she does say many things only implicitly, doesn't she?  
Kanda: Probably because "BTW, they're dead now." would kinda ruin the atmosphere.  
Allen: We're dead?  
Kanda: ...there's going to be an epilogue.  
Allen: We're not really dead, are we? D: D: D:  
Kanda: ...epilogue.  
Allen: ...oh.

Now, I noticed how, if you get around to actually writing the end of your story, it's definitely the most difficult of it all. Still, I hope it did turn out alright.  
I'll put on the epilogue within the next week which will answer some open questions (ie the one you've been asking me since the second chapter 8D)

But the actual story, well, is more or less over now. I hope you liked reading it - and would like to thank you all for doing so :)  
Now, since I'm always grateful to actually hear your thoughts...please review!


	7. ω Epilogue

**Fallen Leaves  
**

Summary: Allen wasn't a burden - he could fight for himself, he could protect others. And he would prove that to Kanda - especially now that there was only one petal left hovering in the hourglass. Yullen, pretty dark

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will, and if I did, I'd have much more merchandise produced :D Honestly, I need a proper Kanda figurine!

(A huge lot of A/Ns at the end of the chapter)

* * *

**Epilogue**_  
_

"Hrngh"

"Ack!"

"Hrmph"

"Urgh~"

"Just…_what the fuck are you doing_, beansprout?!"

"It's called _cuddling_, you idiot–"

"I don't care about your _cuddling_! Just _let me sleep for once_!"

"But I'm not comfortable any other way, and if I would've been lying awake all night, I would have woken you any–"

"Che!" Shoving the white haired exorcist roughly off his body, Kanda Yu snorted in fury and got to his feet. "Your attention-whoring's almost as disgusting as that hunger of yours," he hissed and ran his fingers through his hair, only to notice just how tangled it had gotten from the sprout's so-called _cuddling_. He stopped in midstep and took a long, calming breath. Then, without another word, he stomped out of the room, unceremoniously kicking the other man as he passed him.

.

Honestly, sometimes he just couldn't tell how they'd ended up that way.

Often enough, and as ironic as it sounded, living with the beansprout out here in the countryside, attending to their small farm, meditating and training all the while, actually felt like…heaven?

_"That's it, isn't it?" Throwing his arms in the air, Allen had literally beamed with joy when they'd finally arrived at the land they were to call their own from now on. "Our new home!"_

Peaceful.

_"I don't remember a single akuma that's been quite as difficult to tame as this," Kanda had summarized their day's work of tilling their field. Allen had only laughed at that._

Fulfilled.

_"I can't believe these plants actually survived us," the boy had laughed upon devouring – inhaling – the first potato they'd ever harvested. He'd never looked happier._

But then again…

Slumping down on the small bench in front of the cottage, he heard – and ignored – a muffled whine from inside.

_"It's your turn to prepare dinner," Allen stated and flung himself into the armchair before adding as an afterthought, "and NO soba please!" _

…sometimes the sprout spoilt the mood so efficiently he considered _Hell_ a more fitting term for his current situation.

Heaving a long sigh, he gazed up at the stars before closing his eyes again. He vaguely noted the clicking noises of bugs happily devouring some defenceless strawberries, yet the mild summer breeze mesmerized him enough just…not to care about it.

_No matter why he would sometimes wake up at night – he could always sleep on peacefully when he realized there was someone next to him._

It was just too beautiful a night.

And it was in times like these that he, once again, noted just how much everything had changed ever since the final battle.

While, once upon a time, they had been fighting evil day in, day out in a war they had no hope of winning nor surviving, now the worst of their worries were _friggin' bugs killing their crop_.

_"What do we do with those?" Allen asked him, pointing at some strange blue insects with one hand while scratching the back of his head with the other. Kanda had only returned a blank stare. "...kill them?"_

Whenever he remembered the old days – strong opponents, lots of adrenaline and just so much to do – he actually yearned for _just one more battle like this_. Slicing bothersome insects and occasionally hunting for some dinner just wasn't the same. He'd been raised as a warrior – he'd been prepared to die as one.

And yet here he was, earning money as a _farmer_.

_"Don't treat the crop so lovelessly," Allen had huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "__If Tiedoll was here, he'd scold you now__." Kanda had rolled his eyes in response. "If Cross was here, you wouldn't lead quite as debtless a life, either."_

It was strange, it was different. He missed his old life, but then again, he really didn't want it back.

.

…because he didn't want to lose this strangely enjoyable new quality of living he'd only found out about when there were no longer any akuma to kill.

_"Let's just…" Allen would suggest every other morning before vanishing under the sheets again, "…not do anything today, shall we?" More often than not, Kanda had no reason to disagree._

.

It's not as though he'd ever really cared about the fate of the world – but even so, now that their successes and failures could no longer mean humanity's ultimate destruction, life had become so infinitely more peaceful.

Although…afterlife would be a more fitting term, wouldn't it? He often found himself wondering about it.

They should have died, it had definitely felt so. And yet, they had somehow regained consciousness afterwards – they had continued _existing_ against all odds.

Allegedly, it was the Heart that had saved them, returning their lives – and humanity – as an apology for _turning them into monsters_.  
Ever since they'd stumbled upon it on that Greek island, ever since it had occupied their bodies, they had slowly grown to understand it. Resurrecting its hosts was well within its powers, but that didn't change the fact they'd never wanted it to.

_"It feels like a bad joke," Kanda had pointed out. "I don't know about you, but I think bad jokes are the best ones," Allen had smiled back._

Never mind this so called life didn't really feel like living – calm, insignificant and surreal as it was, it could as well be a dream.

Not that he minded...

_In spite of all his efforts, the supper the sprout cooked was always far outclassed by the mere salty taste of his very skin after yet another day of work.  
...not that Kanda would ever dare phrasing that much, of course...  
_

...it was a pleasant dream.

.

He only noticed that he'd actually dozed off when he opened his eyes to find a white head resting in his lap.

"Hmhm, Yu-anata," the sleeping sprout mumbled in all his annoying and yet endearing adorability.

Kanda rolled his eyes, but smiled ever so slightly.

_He'd so often run his hands through it… and yet it would always surprise him anew how the boy's hair could be so much softer than it looked._

No matter whether they were actually still alive, no matter whether any of this was actually real…

Leaning forward, he placed the tiniest of kisses on that snowy hair, stroking it briefly before returning to sleep again.

_Hmhm, it's heaven again…_

**Fallen Leaves - End**

**

* * *

**

**A/N: **Wow. This was unexpectedly hard to get written down. O_ö  
Now I wish I could leave this conclusion (and the whole ff) to speak for itself, but because I barely ever write things directly, maybe some of you feel the same need for some annotations I do (if you don't and would like to keep your own understanding of this story, feel free to skip to the reviewing button right away ;D)

_To the epilogue:  
_

First of all, I hope this ending sits well with everyone - at first, I never intended for them to survive, but when everyone got all unhappy with what was sure to come, I realized I didn't really want to kill them, either. But it would be even worse to let them survive in some miraculous, harry-potter-esque fashion although the whole story (and actually, the canon, too) is working towards their ends. So what we've got here might not be the most elegant conclusion possible, but then again it won't depress any of us as much, either.

And besides, Allen and Kanda deserve a reward for all the misery they've gone through! Dx

And as long as they get it, I think it doesn't even matter whether they actually survived to live in peace in the real world, or whether it's a kind of afterlife - or whether they're really gone and all of this only happens in our imagination (which it does either way, but never mind)  
Geez, I hope it's somewhat understandable what I'm trying to say right now:

In some kind of realm, they're happy, and for the sake of this fanfiction, that's far more important than what "really happened afterwards".

_To the final battle:_

Shinigami's Voice already pointed out the battle with the earl felt kinda rushed, and truthfully, I feel the same. But I only realized it when actually writing the scene in question, and in order to make this battle fit better, I would have had to insert some scenes with the Earl several chapters earlier. And at least for me, it's some kind of tragic law of nature that, as soon as I start editing older chapters while the fanfic's not even finished yet, I'm going to get lost somewhere in the middle and might end up abandoning it as a whole - which is something I definitely didn't want to happen _  
And, to get back to the topic, Allen's the Destroyer of Time, so of all the exorcists, he'd be the last one to abandon the war for his own sake, which is why ultimately, I couldn't avoid a battle with the earl, either.  
So, well, now I just hope this little inconsistency didn't throw you guys off that much D:

_To the Heart:_

Why did I give them the heart? Firstly, because as explained above, the battle with the Earl was unavoidable at last, and in order to defeat him they just needed every powerful tool they could get. Though, being the double-edged sword it is, the Innocence empowered them in, well, a not so traditional way.  
Also, I've been thinking that, considering it's survived so long, the Heart would choose where to appear rather than be found. So a story like Allen and Kanda's would be most likely to alert it.

_About the Level Six:_

I'm sure you've also noted how Akuma grew more human the higher their Level? Kanda's final Akuma form looks, well, almost exactly like his human self (sans his eye colour and his skin being paler) and, even though he seems crueler, there isn't that much of a difference in thinking. Also, with humanity being created on the sixth day, I guessed, the akuma-human-development would somewhat end there. And even though now we don't really have a level five...I just kinda wanted the six oo (Though MitarashiiDango's also got a valid point, with Mugen meaning six illusions and all :3 )

And now...hmh, I think I said everything I wanted to be said.  
...or my memory's playing tricks on me again.

Either way, there's one thing I still have to tell you guys:

Thanks once again to sticking to this story and getting all the way to the end!  
And even more thanks to all those wonderful people who sent me those wonderful reviews!

To Midnight Crisis: Honestly, I'm really happy to have you as a reader. Your words always manage to cheer me up :) Though I've got some vague ideas for new stories, I'm not likely to write them anytime soon, because I've got a vast amount of exams to learn for. But if I get around to publishing something, I'd be happy to have you read it (hugs)

To Shinigami's Voice: Thanks again for your long reviews and motivating words! I really value both your praise AND honesty x3 (hugs)

To MitarashiiDango: Aaw, the headless chicken xD No need to run around like that, they're not, err, really dead after all (coughs)

To glon morski: Yeah, I also prefer longer stories, but sadly, I'm not one to write them, because I lack both speed and endurance. But I'm glad you like it anyway ;D

To Kyuu Namikaze: Aaah, I'm sorry if I confused you D: In this story, I've been experimenting a bit - because I wanted actions to speak rather than words (or rather explanations) I also didn't want Allen and Kanda to discuss their feeling. Because wordless understanding still holds the most beauty, at least in my opinion. So... I'm sorry if the story was hard to follow because of that, but I hope this epilogue could somewhat clarify some things Dx

Now.........if there's anything else, feel free to ask. From now on, I'll actually bother pressing the Review Reply button xD (Sorry if that irked you up until now - I'm even slower in writing emails etc. than in writing fanfiction D:)

* * *

So, and last but not least, this story's absorbed me for a very long time and I'd like to finish it adequately, so...

I kinda drew you guys a picture :D It's Kanda carrying Allen at the end of chapter 4, so if you dare taking a look: http://linnya(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Yullen-Together-129265714

Now, thanks again for reading, and feel free to leave a review :3

Love you all,  
Linnya


End file.
